Al Fidaa Foundation

Al-Fidaa Foundation was founded in Gqeberha to respond to one of South Africa's most severe socioeconomic crises: the Eastern Cape's 49.1% unemployment rate, where 77,000 jobs have been lost, 60% of households go to sleep hungry, and 25% of children are stunted. Al-Fidaa's founding philosophy is that skill-building is the most reliable tool for breaking the cycle of poverty — and that poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity are the breeding ground for both GBV and the inability to escape it.

Muslim-founded but explicitly serving all communities, they operate five centres across South Africa and are accredited by FP&M SETA (sewing), Foodbev SETA (baking), and the SA Chef Association (culinary arts). Their White Door Victim Empowerment Centre, run in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare, brings GBV survivor support directly into their skills development model.

What They Offer Survivors and Vulnerable Communities

White Door Victim Empowerment Centre — GBV and Crime Survivor Support In partnership with the Department of Social Welfare, Al-Fidaa operates a White Door Victim Empowerment Centre providing holistic, person-centred support services for victims of violence and crime. This is a government-endorsed GBV response facility embedded within Al-Fidaa's broader community model — ensuring that survivors accessing skills training can also access trauma and victim empowerment support.

Accredited Skills Training — Sewing, Baking, Culinary Arts, Computer Skills Four accredited training programmes are available at Al-Fidaa centres, designed to build marketable, income-generating skills for unemployed women and youth: - Sewing School — 6-month FP&M SETA accredited course, 10 students per cohort (Gqeberha, Durban, Laudium, Cape Town) - Baking School — 4-week Foodbev SETA accredited course, 8 students per cohort (all 5 centres) - Culinary School — 5-month SA Chef Association programme, 6 students per cohort (Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Laudium, Cape Town) - Computer School — 1-month SETA-aligned course, 12 students per cohort (Gqeberha, Durban, Cape Town)

Courses can be sponsored by donors at R3,000–R10,000 per student, with Section 18A tax exemption certificates issued for all donations.

Work Exposure Programmes Al-Fidaa facilitates workplace exposure placements with partner companies for graduates who lack formal work experience — addressing the "no experience, no job" barrier that keeps qualified graduates from accessing employment.

Social Development — Food Relief and Nutrition Al-Fidaa's social development arm provides food relief to impoverished families and communities in the Eastern Cape — responding to the 88.2% of households that report food insecurity in the province. Food parcels, Ramadaan drives, and zakaah distributions reach thousands of families annually.

Water Projects In rural Eastern Cape communities where access to tap water is a privilege, Al-Fidaa has invested in water infrastructure — reducing the burden on women and children who walk kilometres daily to collect water from communal taps.

Housing Projects In partnership with Ford Motor Company, Al-Fidaa implements housing relief projects for impoverished communities in the Eastern Cape.

Textbooks and Educational Support Textbook provision and educational support help ensure that children from food-insecure households are not excluded from learning due to lack of materials.

Al-Fidaa Foundation has centres in Gqeberha, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Laudium, and Cape Town. Head office: 041 484 1288 or alfidaa@telkomsa.net. Facebook: AlFidaaFoundation | Instagram: alfidaafoundation. Register for courses at register.alfidaa.co.za.