The Community & Individual Development Association Est. 1979 is a non-profit project facilitation organization in South Africa focused on the provision of mass-scale, low-cost, high-quality, effective education for the historically disadvantaged, which directly brings youth from poverty to a position of self-sufficiency.
As the pioneers of the ‘Free Tertiary Education’ movement in South Africa, over the last 10 years they've educated 5,000 young people out of poverty, who are now working in jobs, earning over R230 million together in annual salaries. Over the next 40 years, they will earn just over R7.8 billion ($1billion) - money that is going back into the hands of poor families.
With a 30-year track record for innovation, the Community and Individual Development Association has worked directly with over 50,000 South Africans. Around 5,000 students have gone through the programs at their first university CIDA City Campus*, the ‘First Free University in South Africa’. The Association has helped to start 5 "Free Tertiary Education’ Institutions, including The Branson Center of Entrepreneurship with Sir Richard Branson, The Maharishi Institute in 2007, and the MERU Ezemvelo Rural university 2011.
Supporters over the years include: the Oppenheimer Family, Datatec, Chuma Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, Skoll Foundation amongst others.