About Supplier Development Initiatives Trust - Supplier Development Initiative Trust

Supplier Development Process – What makes us different?

SDI ensure access to market before funding the equipment and developing skills for the actual work.

Our business model differs from the traditional ESD Initiatives as our model:

Multiple Source of Income: GIG Economy Model allows for multiple source of income
Job Scaling Opportunities: Creates new jobs across the board- non industry specific. Job scaling opportunities through dedicated and marketing efforts
Access to Market: Access to main-stream economy via a 360º business solution that is sustainable and scalable
Access to Funds: Blended funds (Loan & Grant) – non industry specific
Trace Impact: SDI measure Year on Year incremental Impact
Portfolio Beneficiaries: Micro-business owners have long term portfolio status after loan repayments

Our philosophy

At SDI Trust we believe that true economic upliftment happens at grassroots level. Channelling funding to a micro-entrepreneur can make a real life-changing difference to that person, their dependants and their communities.

A vital link to building the SA economy

SDI Trust helps big business to think small and small business to think big

South Africa has identified small, medium and micro-enterprises as drivers of employment and economic growth. The World Bank and International Finance Corporation have said South Africa’s micro, small and medium enterprises employ 50%-60% of the workforce and contribute 34% of gross domestic product.

But the sector has not grown in the past three to four years.

The financing constraints faced by SMEs, especially in accessing bank finance, limit these firms’ growth opportunities. This is especially true for micro-businesses.

The upliftment of these micro-businesses, that make up South Africa’s informal sector, is critical to the country’s long-term economic growth. Micro-businesses need access to markets to develop and grow.

Our major drive is to provide this access via platform businesses such as Uber, Bolt, SweepSouth, Loadit or SnappyIT.

We also solve the problem of financing constraints by channelling enterprise and supplier development funding directly to micro-entrepreneurs to help them build sustainable businesses.

Meet our team

Experts in building businesses from the ground up, using collaboration and partnerships

Our history

Our foundation

SDI Trust was launched in 2018 as an offshoot of ADreach's Adopt-a-Project initiative - a joint venture partnership with the City of Joburg that started in 1999.

SDI Trust's focus is to use the power of big business to develop micro-enterprises through enterprise and supplier development funding.

Committed to community upliftment

The Adopt-a-Project initiative leveraged infrastructure in affluent areas to generate funds for impoverished neighbouring areas. The first project, Adopt-A-Light, raised funds through Street Pole Advertising in affluent areas like Sandton that were allocated to community upliftment in areas like Alexandra.

Spreading our wings

This led to other initiatives including two highly successful projects:

WastePreneurs

This initiative uplifts informal waste collectors in Johannesburg while providing a recycling collection service for residents. Over 150 waste-pickers benefit from this project.

Soweto Canoe and Recreation Club

This youth development initiative introduces youngsters in Soweto to the discipline of canoeing to improve other facets of their lives. Over 1 000 members have learned to swim and benefited from initiatives to assist with their social integration into the workplace.

The success of these projects is partly due to the active role corporates have played in ensuring the economic development of the beneficiaries.