What We Do
SASDI is a non-profit social innovation organisation lead by people from diverse backgrounds who are passionately committed to the future of South Africa. Founded by three committed Christians, SASDI is a faith-based organisation, centred in Cape Town, with a broad range of skills and expertise in social entrepreneurship.
SASDI works with a number of partners, across sectors to fundraise for, and facilitate the building of facilities for high-impact community development projects. Our approach is one of continued engagement and projects are built from within the community. Constant consultation and human resource development play key roles in every project.
Our Approach
We are a value-based organisation centred in Cape Town. Our team comprises of individuals with a broad range of skills and expertise in social entrepreneurship.
Core skills within SASDI include:
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Identifying high-impact community development projects
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Designing and delivering effective fundraising campaigns
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Building and retaining community accreditation and support
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Creative problem solving to develop social entrepreneurship strategies
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Designing and managing action learning-based sustainable development projects
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Project management of community development projects
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Knowledge management for community development projects
SASDI’s education projects currently focus on Early Childhood Development (ECD). We completed the Mfuleni Centre for Early Childhood Development in 2011. You can watch a video of the opening ceremony and access the 2009/2010 annual report.
Walking Together
SASDI believes that winning the future for South Africa will best be achieved through the Dinokeng Scenario of "Walking Together". To this end we focus on building effective partnering networks, bridging between government, academia, private business and the non-profit sector. Together, we bring fundraising expertise, project capability and leadership development to local leaders in disadvantaged communities. SASDI has core partnerships in place with the City of Cape Town and the University of Cape Town
Donor Participation
SASDI Projects are specifically designed to enable broad participation. Donor and sponsor teams are encouraged to work on-site, to enable skills transfer and a direct experience of working with the individuals and communities who are being impacted by the projects being funded. Brick and mortar tours can be arranged for overseas volunteers who want to experience different aspects of South Africa.
Active projects currently include:
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Mfuleni Centre for Early Childhood Development: Training and development of the Principal and educational team to operational sustainability.
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Homestead Child and Youth Care Centre in Khayelitsha, Cape Town: The construction of a new centre for the care, development and re-integration of street children.
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Ekukhanyeni (Place of Light) Project: The construction of a new multi-purpose early childhood development centre of excellence and clinic for children from 0 to 9 years of age to replace the existing Sakhumzi Centre in Mfuleni which is run by Mama Amelia Poswa.
Early Childhood Development
SASDI is developing a strategic approach to sustainable community development in collaboration with the City of Cape Town’s Department of Social Development, the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Proud2b. The upliftment of Early Childhood Development forms the nucleus of the strategy underpinning Starting Chance™. The goal is to pilot implementation at the Mfuleni Centre for Early Childhood Development and a number of nearby informal ECDs. The integrated approach incorporates change management with infrastructure development, and is based on lessons learned from multiple SASDI projects as well as local and national best practice research conducted through the partnership with the University of Cape Town.
Accountability
As a registered non-profit trust SASDI is externally audited and lead by a board of trustees with a strong mix of business, legal, financial and educational knowledge and expertise. The trust is audited annually.