Al-Fidaa Foundation

What Al-Fidaa Foundation does

Al-Fidaa Foundation is a registered South African non-profit (NPO 070-651) and Public Benefit Organization (PBO 930 033 996) founded in 2008 and headquartered in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape. The foundation operates a multi-program service model combining free SETA-accredited vocational skills training (sewing, baking, culinary arts, computer literacy) with social welfare programmes including victim empowerment, feeding projects, water relief, and housing projects. Its core technology consists of standardized curricula aligned with FP&M SETA, Foodbev SETA, Cathsseta, MICT SETA, and ICDL accreditation frameworks, delivered through five physical Skills Development Centres across four provinces (Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Gauteng).

The foundation is BBBEE Level 1 certified, enabling corporate donors to receive Section 18A tax deduction certificates, and reports an explicit reliance on individual donations, Zakaah, and corporate BEE partnerships for funding. Notable corporate partners include Ford Motor Company (social investment and housing projects), Willowton Group (Pietermaritzburg Skills Centre of Baking), and Shoprite (graduate hiring and biscuit sourcing). The organization monetizes beneficiary training at the student level through sponsorship fees (R3,000-R25,000 per course) but positions all programmes as free to end beneficiaries via donor sponsorship. Sub-brands include the White Door Centre for victim empowerment, which has documented 511+ cases handled.

The go-to-market is community-led: the foundation acquires beneficiaries through community outreach, social media presence, and partner referrals, while acquiring capital through donations, corporate BEE scorecard contributions, and Zakaah channels. Recent strategic moves include the 2017 launch of the School of Baking, expansion to multi-province centre operations, and the White Door Centre partnership with the Department of Social Welfare. The organization has approximately 10 employees and a 16+ year operating track record, with no disclosed financial figures or traditional funding rounds.

Name

Al-Fidaa Foundation

Legal name

Al-Fidaa Foundation

Website

https://alfidaa.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Al-Fidaa Foundation is a South African non-profit (NPO/PBO) founded in 2008 that delivers free SETA-accredited vocational training (sewing, baking, culinary, computer) and social welfare programmes (victim empowerment, feeding, water relief) to impoverished communities across four provinces, funded primarily through donations, Zakaah, and corporate BEE partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Vocational Training and Social Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Functional Life Skills & Transition-to-Adulthood Curriculum (ADL, Vocational, Community) (EDAGAMAJ)

Keywords

• Vocational skills training
• Victim empowerment services
• Community feeding programs
• SETA accredited training
• Nonprofit social welfare

Headquarters

HQ city

Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation receives donations from individuals through its website, with various donation categories including Zakaah, Boreholes/Repairs, Baking, Coding, Computer Studies, Culinary, Feed a Community, Fitra, Fidya, Hygiene Pack, Interest Monies, Orphan/Abandon Child, School Fees, Sewing, Skills Training, Qurbani, and Water. Donations are tax-deductible under Section 18A.
2. Corporate BEE Partnerships: The foundation partners with corporations for B-BBEE scorecard compliance, offering Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD), Socio-Economic Development (SED), and Skills Development contributions. Companies like Ford Motor Company have selected Al-Fidaa Foundation for social investments.
3. Zakaah and Religious Donations: Dedicated banking details for Zakaah funds with separate account numbers for orphan sponsorship and religious charitable giving.
4. Course Sponsorship Fees: While core training is provided free to beneficiaries, the foundation charges sponsorship fees for course materials and starter kits: Baking R5,500, Culinary R10,000, Computer R3,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Al-Fidaa Foundation provides free SETA-accredited vocational training in sewing (24 weeks), baking (4 weeks), culinary arts (12 weeks), and computer literacy (1 month) through five Skills Development Centres in South Africa. It complements training with victim empowerment services (White Door Centre), food security programs (feeding, grocery hampers), emergency water distribution (22 sites), and work exposure placements with corporate partners, serving impoverished individuals, unemployed adults, and victims of crime in the Eastern Cape and beyond.

Product overview

Al-Fidaa Foundation operates as a multi-program public benefit organization offering skills development and community empowerment services. The core offering consists of four free accredited training schools: Sewing School (24-week FP&M SETA-accredited program), Computer School (1-month MICT SETA-aligned course), School of Baking (4-week Foodbev SETA-accredited program), and Culinary School (12-week Cathsseta-accredited course). Supporting these are social welfare programs including the White Door Centre (victim empowerment), Social Development initiatives (feeding, food parcels, counseling), Water Projects, and Housing Projects. The organization also provides work exposure programs with partner companies and enterprise development support for graduate entrepreneurs. Multiple centre locations serve communities across Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Gauteng provinces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• White Door Centre: A victim empowerment centre providing a safe space for victims of violence and crime, offering emotional support, referrals, and assistance to women, children, and vulnerable individuals.

Products and services

• Sewing School Free 24-week (6 months) FP&M SETA-accredited sewing training program covering garment creation, alterations, and entrepreneurial skills, with all materials provided free of charge to unemployed South African adults.
• School of Baking Free 4-week Home Bakers Course covering cakes, cupcakes, and biscuits, Foodbev SETA-accredited, with 8 students per course; graduates have been hired by Shoprite's baking division.
• Culinary School Free 12-week culinary arts program (5 months) with Cathsseta-accredited tutors covering food preparation, personal and food safety, catering for diverse occasions, and entrepreneurial skills for starting a catering business; 6 students per course.
• Computer School Free 1-month computer literacy course with MICT SETA-aligned modules covering Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), with practical hands-on training; 12 students per course; offered at ICDL-accredited test centre.
• White Door Centre (Victim Empowerment) Victim Empowerment Centre providing short-term safe space, emotional containment, counseling, and referral services for victims of crime, violence, abuse, and domestic hardship; located at 239 Durban Road, Korsten, Gqeberha; 511+ documented cases handled.
• Social Development Programs Comprehensive social welfare initiatives including feeding projects at hospitals and clinics, food parcel distribution, grocery hampers (R300 each), clothing and blanket provision, and counseling services for impoverished communities in the Eastern Cape.
• Water Projects Emergency water distribution program providing free uninterrupted water access through 22 collection sites at schools, clinics, old age homes, and community locations across the Nelson Mandela Region during shortages due to repairs or drought.
• Housing Project Social investment project in partnership with Ford Motor Company providing housing relief for impoverished communities in the Eastern Cape.
• Work Exposure Programs Work experience placement programs placing learners with corporate partners including Zozinette (baby carrier manufacturing) and Fred Footwear (leather sandals) for 1-3 month practical industry exposure following skills training completion.
• Enterprise Development Centre Enterprise Development Centre supporting skills program graduates with startup kits, equipment loans, business plans, entrepreneurial courses, and New Venture Creation training to launch their own businesses.
• Textbooks Program Sponsorship program providing baking and culinary workbooks to students, with options to sponsor individual students or entire classes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduate Siphokazi Kemele awarded R85,830 to start HOUSE OF TSHIWO business
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ford Motor CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFord Motor Company selected Al-Fidaa Foundation for key social investments in the Eastern Cape. These projects provide relief for impoverished communities through skills development and economic empowerment initiatives.
• Willowton GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn collaboration with the Willowton Group, Al-Fidaa operates a Skills Centre of Baking in Pietermaritzburg. This intensive baking/culinary course equips participants with skills necessary to enter the workforce or embark on entrepreneurial ventures. Willowton Group supports skills training and job creation in South Africa.
• Department of Social WelfarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of Social Welfare partnered with Al-Fidaa in opening the White Door Centre, a Victim Empowerment Centre providing holistic and effective person-centered support service for victims of violence and crime.
• ZozinetteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZozinette produces a locally-made range of stunning baby carriers including stretch wraps, woven wraps, ring slings and buckle carriers. Al-Fidaa has partnered with Zozinette to accept learners from each class for a one to three month work experience program at their manufacturing facility.
• Fred FootwearminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFred Footwear specializes in designing and manufacturing genuine leather sandals and shoes. They work with specialized industrial sewing machines unique to the footwear industry and provide work exposure for Al-Fidaa learners.
• Olive Tree InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAl-Fidaa Foundation together with Olive Tree Institute distributed water to communities in the East London region during water shortage emergencies.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator: South African non-profit tackling youth unemployment through demand-led skills training and employer matching. Comparable as a South African skills-development NPO focused on bridging unemployed learners to employment outcomes via corporate partnerships.
• Afrika Tikkun: South African non-profit providing integrated youth development including vocational skills training, education, and social services to communities in townships. Directly comparable as a multi-programme community upliftment NPO with similar skills-training and B-BBEE positioning.
• TSiBA Education: South African non-profit higher education institution providing accredited business and leadership training to youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. Comparable as an accredited, donation-supported tertiary skills provider with similar beneficiary profile.
• Maharishi Institute: South African NPO providing accredited education, IT, and life-skills training to youth from underserved communities. Comparable in terms of SETA-aligned programmes, computer literacy focus, and donor-funded delivery model.
• Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation: South African philanthropic foundation running education, skills development, and youth empowerment programmes. Comparable as a large-scale South African NPO operating skills development and social upliftment initiatives across multiple sites.
• Christel House South Africa: South African non-profit providing holistic education, vocational training, and character development to children from impoverished communities. Comparable in combining accredited learning, life-skills support, and long-term beneficiary outcomes.
• The Clothing Bank: South African NPO providing skills training and economic empowerment in the clothing and sewing value chain for unemployed women. Highly comparable given Al-Fidaa's FP&M SETA-accredited sewing programme and similar graduate-to-employment outcomes model.
• YES (Youth Employment Service): South African non-profit initiative placing unemployed youth in corporate work-experience placements while enabling B-BBEE scorecard benefits for participating companies. Comparable in its coupling of skills/work-exposure programmes with corporate B-BBEE incentives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alfidaafound
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlFidaaFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/alfidaafoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/al-fidaa-foundation

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Al-Fidaa Foundation