THE GANGSTAR STORY
Gangstar Café is a social enterprise of The Message Trust and was first launched in April 2017. It is the first Café that only employs ex-offenders in Cape Town and to our knowledge South Africa.
“SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A WARPED AND CROOKED GENERATION.
THEN YOU WILL SHINE AMONG THEM LIKE STARS IN THE SKY”
PHILIPPIANS 2:15
Coffee can be used to change lives and our desire is to see many more young people say “Gang is the past and Star is the future.”
Our Cafés and training were a direct response to the challenges for ex-offenders to find employment once released from prison. Youth unemployment in South Africa is the highest in the world, eight out of ten ex-offenders re-offend and a big reason for this is they cannot find meaningful work.
Through The Message Trust and Gangstar Café, we provide job readiness, barista and job-shadowing training throughout the year. Providing skills training that empowers ex-offenders to work and become responsible citizens. Up to March 2021, only 7% of our beneficiaries who have gone through our programmes have reoffended.
Each of our Cafés provides on-the-job training that enables ex-offenders to graduate and find future employment. Our vision is to open new cafés to provide more training and employment opportunities.
IMPACT TO DATE
6 GRADUATES PLACED IN OTHER EMPLOYMENT
CURRENTLY EMPLOY 6 EX-OFFENDERS
18 BARISTAS TRAINED WITH RED BAND ACADEMY
THE STORY SO FAR
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March 2017
Employed first Gangstar
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April 2017
Launch of our first Café in Mowbray
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February 2020
Launch of Gangstar Mobile Trailer
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October 2020
Launch Red Band Barista Training Academy
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February 2021
Launch of Gangstar Café in Phillipi Village
