South Africa’s DigsConnect Secures $200k grant from Dell Foundation

South African student housing platform DigsConnect has secured $200k in grant funding from Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to help university students from low-income backgrounds secure safe and affordable accommodation.

Launched in 2017 by Alexandria Procter, Brendan Ardagh, Greg Keal, the DigsConnect platform enables landlords, estate agents, and property managers to post their property listings. Students can then search and filter through these listings to find accommodation that suits their needs and find other students to live with.

Since its launch in 2018, DigsConnect is the largest student accommodation marketplace in South Africa. They have connected hundreds of landlords with student tenants, and students with digs mates.

DigsConnect aims to create a self-sustaining community of people listing and finding safe accommodation options close to places of learning, and a place where lifelong friendships are made.

As a result of this partnership, DigsConnect is launching #1000digs, a specialized program to assist NSFAS and bursary-funded students in South Africa looking for accommodation.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation was set up in 1999. Susan and Michael Dell have supported the foundation primarily through investing the proceeds of sales of shares of Dell Inc.

Headquartered in Austin, United States, with offices in New Delhi, India, and South Africa, the Dell Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children living in urban poverty across the world

“Safe and affordable accommodations are essential to a successful university experience. However, the inability to find appropriate housing creates additional barriers for students who are already managing new uncertainties in university life. The partnership with DigsConnect further allows students to be integrated into supportive communities while away from home, creating opportunity for them to focus on and succeed in their studies,” said Dr. Thashlin Govender, program director for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.