Tsitsi Masiyiwa reflects on the legacy of Econet Wireless amid farewell
- Nhlanhla Muthe
- Aug 27
- 2 min read
The Masiyiwa family reflects on the home where Econet Wireless and the Higherlife Foundation were born, celebrating decades of innovation, resilience, and philanthropy that continue to shape Africa.
By Nhlanhla Muthe
Tsitsi Masiyiwa has bid a heartfelt farewell to 58 Alpes, the humble family home where the seeds of Econet Wireless and the Higherlife Foundation first took root.
“This home was a sanctuary of ideas, resilience, and hope,” she reflected, as its walls prepared to make way for new offices, symbols of growth born from that very foundation.
In a poignant and tender LinkedIn post, the wife of Zimbabwe tech billionaire Strive, highlighted that it was within those walls, in 1992, that the vision for Econet Group was born. Three years later, Econet, after a grueling four-year battle against a state-sponsored frustration, finally earned its GSM license, marking a turning point in Zimbabwe’s telecom landscape.
“It was here that the battle for Econet's license was fought and won through worship, prayer, and the tireless faith of many who stood with us,” she said.
Today, Econet stands as the third-largest pan-African telecom operator, with operations spanning markets like Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Malta, and streaming and enterprise ventures across the continent
Starting from those early struggles, Econet has achieved remarkable growth. In Zimbabwe alone, its subscriber base neared 13 million users by early 2022, bolstered by aggressive expansion in mobile data and pioneering 5G deployments with partners like Ericsson. Across Africa, the company’s footprint includes multiple countries, offering products and services in the core areas of mobile and fixed telephony services, broadband, satellite, optical fibre networks and mobile payment.
The group's subsidiaries have grown to include Econet Wireless, Cassava Technologies and Cassava Smartech.
Parallel to Econet’s rise, the philanthropic legacy sparked at 58 Alpes continues to flourish. Through the Higherlife Foundation, Tsitsi and Strive Masiyiwa have together awarded over 250,000 scholarships to African youth, fostering educational opportunities across the continent. Additionally, 11,100 scholarships were granted in a recent cycle alone, alongside 34,600 students benefitting from the innovative Akello digital learning platform.
As Tsitsi bids adieu to her beloved 58 Alpes, she sends out a strong reminder that its legacy extends far beyond brick and mortar. “It nurtured pioneers and dreamers, now bearing fruit in digital connectivity and empowered generations. The new offices may replace its structure, but its spirit will continue to inspire all who walk its halls,” she said.
