Dr Taddy Blecher is, amongst other things, the CEO of the Community
and Individual Development Association (C.I.D.A. now renamed
COMMUNITY) and a pioneer of the ‘free tertiary education movement’ in
South Africa. He co-founded the Branson School of Entrepreneurship
with Sir Richard Branson and has raised over R400 million in cash,
property and equity to support free access to post-secondary school
education and has been supported in his works by Sir Richard Branson,
Oprah Winfrey, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Oppenheimer Family,
Bill Gates, Michael Dell and many other individuals, institutions and
corporations.
As a result of the above, over 4,500 unemployed South Africans have
been educated, found employment and moved from poverty to the
middle-class. These formerly unemployed youth now have combined
salaries in excess of R230 million p.a. and expected life-time
earnings of R9.5 billion. 600 000 young South Africans in schools have
been reached with one-week education and life-skills training courses.

Dr Blecher was a 2002 World Economic Forum "Global Leader of Tomorrow"
award recipient, a 2005 World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader of
the World", has been honoured with two honorary doctorates and was in
2009 named by author Tom Peters as one of his top 5 most influential
entrepreneurs in the world over the last 30 years.

Having received the above (and many, many other awards) has had no
impact on Dr Blecher's drive or motivation to continue to on his
mission to uplift the underprivileged. He continues to be involved in
the development and operation of many initiatives, including the
Ezemvelo Eco-campus, 21st Century Learning Labs, the $10 Africa
College Fund and the creation of the Elders, with Nelson Mandela,
Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.