Mfundo Terms and Conditions

About Mfundo

Mfundo is the course platform through which Mtandao, Africa Social Work and Development Network, delivers courses, masterclasses and continuing professional development to learners worldwide. Mfundo hosts courses developed in partnership with African institutions, practitioners and scholars, including course content produced in collaboration with organisations such as the Friendship Bench.

Acceptance of these terms

By enrolling in a course on Mfundo, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. If you do not agree to these terms, you should not enrol in or access any Mfundo course.

Enrolment and eligibility

Enrolment is open to individuals worldwide, subject to any course specific eligibility requirements stated on the course page. Some courses are free, others carry a fee, as set out on each course listing. You are responsible for ensuring the information you provide at enrolment is accurate and current.

Fees and payment

Where a course carries a fee, payment must be completed before access is granted, unless otherwise agreed with Mfundo. Fees are stated in the currency shown on the course listing. Mfundo reserves the right to change course fees for future enrolments, without affecting learners already enrolled.

Access to courses

On successful enrolment, you will be given access to course content through the Mfundo platform. Access is granted for personal, non-commercial learning use. Course content, including lessons, recordings, slides and quizzes, may not be copied, redistributed or shared outside the platform without written permission from Mfundo.

Certificates

Where a course offers a certificate, this is issued on satisfactory completion of the course requirements, which may include lesson completion, quiz results, or attendance, depending on the course. Certificates confirm participation and completion, and do not constitute a professional qualification or licence to practise.

Intellectual property

All course content on Mfundo, including text, video, audio, images and assessment materials, is the property of Mtandao, its partner organisations, or the relevant contributing authors, and is protected by copyright. Nothing in these terms transfers ownership of this content to you.

Value for Indigenous knowledge and Ubuntu philosophy

Mfundo recognises Indigenous and African knowledge systems as legitimate, rigorous and valuable sources of theory and practice in their own right, not as supplementary or illustrative material to Western frameworks. Where a course draws on Indigenous concepts, languages, or practices, such as kufungisisa, harambe, or the wisdom held by community elders and grandmothers, Mfundo is committed to representing that knowledge accurately, attributing it to its origin, and presenting it with the same academic standing given to any other body of knowledge.

Mfundo also values Ubuntu philosophy as a pedagogy in its own right, alongside the various theories that have developed from it. Courses grounded in Ubuntu may draw on relational, communal, societal, environmental and spiritual values, and on theories and models built from these, including harambe and the harambe social development model. This reflects a broader commitment to teaching and learning as collective, relational practices, consistent with Ubuntu itself, rather than treating Ubuntu as a topic taught only through Western pedagogical method.

Learners are expected to engage with this material respectfully, and to acknowledge Indigenous origin when referencing or building on course content in their own work.

Conduct and community standards

Learners are expected to engage with course content, facilitators and fellow learners respectfully. Mfundo does not tolerate harassment, discrimination or disrespectful conduct within course forums, breakout discussions or any other course setting. Mfundo reserves the right to suspend or remove access for learners who breach this standard.

Data and privacy

Mfundo collects personal information necessary for enrolment, payment and certification, and handles this information in accordance with its privacy practices. Personal information is not sold to third parties. Where a course requires participation in shared or public facing activities, this will be made clear at enrolment.

Cancellations and refunds

Refund eligibility depends on the course and is stated on the relevant course listing at the time of enrolment. Where no specific refund policy is stated, requests will be considered on a case by case basis, taking into account how much of the course has already been accessed.

Limitation of liability

Course content is provided for educational purposes. Mfundo and its partner organisations make reasonable efforts to ensure content is accurate and current, but do not guarantee outcomes from applying course content in practice. Mfundo is not liable for indirect or consequential loss arising from use of its courses.

Changes to these terms

Mfundo may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of the platform after changes are published constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Contact

For questions about these terms, contact Mtandao at asw@africasocialwork.net.