Fundi(n) - (African)
A person who has learned a specific craft or trade. A person of skill. [from Swahili ka-funda to teach or from Nguni umfindisi a teacher]
Fundi, as a name, gives our members the dignity they have earned through their consistent hard work and expertise. We connect verified workers to income opportunities for reward – to customers, workers, funders and South Africa.
Our values:
Skilled – verifying workers to ensure they are competent and fit for purpose
Reliable – doing what we say we will do, and resiliently delivering results
Trust - a network of workers and customers which the participants can trust
From our launch in 2003, we have striven to bridge the gap between South Africa's growing economy and unemployed people with skills. Explaining what we do engenders great interest and enthusiasm and yet very few people have ever hired one of our members. While most people care about South Africa's dire unemployment levels, they want peace of mind and good quality work.
In late 2011, we shifted our focus from the problem, unemployment, to focus on the solution - introducing skilled workers, that are reliable and trustworthy, and thus Fundi was born. We remain a not-for-profit organisation that empowers South Africans to change lives through job creation.
Verification, assessment and accreditation
Fundi members are workers who have voluntarily registered with us and undergo ongoing scrutiny and evaluation of their work. Through our verification and assessment processes we determine a skills and personal rating for each member.
We provide a bridge which enables our members to move into the mainstream economy. We do this primarily through facilitating employment for our members. We introduce customers to accredited members, who are known to us, have the skills the customer is looking for and that have proven themselves to be reliable and trustworthy.
The process:
- Registration of members and induction
- Independent verification of skills and previous work experience
- Our own experience with the member in work teams and non-sensitive work environments
- Members who maintain an excellent job rating over a period of time are introduced into the one on one work environments in homes or small businesses.
- Fundi conducts continous monitoring of members work. Every job receives a rating based on customer feedback to members.
Sales and Marketing
Fuindi creates a trusted, reliable environment for employers to hire workers that are themselves reliable and trustworthy and whose skills have been verified. Finding work for our members is the primary focus. The team works to ensure placement for members to domestic employers and industry as well as through our job creation programs.
Our marketing campaigns inform the general public about our services and aim to build trust. Marketing activities include PR, outdoor advertising and one on one engagement with people in shopping centres, hardware stores, garden centres, churches and similar community organisations.
We have offices in Cape Town, Johannesburg and George.
