Rise Above Development, Lavender Hill

Working with past and current gang members in Lavender Hill to understand how creativity can make a difference

 

RAD is a community youth centre (ages 6 to 18) at the heart of Lavender Hill, an area within the notorious Cape Flats township of Cape Town, South Africa.

It supports local youth with literacy, creativity, emotional expression, and confidence, promoting hope and a vision for an alternative future.

 

ABOUT

The area faces complex social challenges including extreme poverty and gang violence, which often includes shootings. Ultimately these challenges mean there are limited opportunities for the youth of Lavender Hill.

This is the reality that RAD’s team of local staff and volunteers recognise all too well because it’s their community, their reality. This means they are uniquely qualified to listen and respond to the community’s evolving needs. It’s why they work so hard to create a physically and psychologically safe space for the youth of Lavender Hill.

THE WORK

Daily programmes include reading, arts and crafts, educational support, music, and dance. RAD partners with local schools to ensure consistent, holistic support that goes beyond the classroom. The centre also supports older youth with CV creation, job and college applications, and internet access, helping them take practical steps toward a brighter future.

Converted shipping containers are used as programme spaces and include a music studio, dance studio and multi-purpose spaces. It also includes sports fields and a flourishing food garden supported by Light from Africa, where children learn responsibility, sustainability, and dignity through hands-on gardening.

IMPACT

Supported by members of the local community, as well as valuable local and international partners, RAD is more than a location for programmes; it’s a second home, a safe space, a growing heart in the centre of a community that dares to hope for a better future.

RAD’s journey from a fatal battlefield to a thriving community youth centre is a testament to resilience, partnership, and the power of investing in youth.