Cause Index

Brothers For All

Brothers for All is a non-profit social enterprise, co-founded by ex-offenders and entrepreneurs. Its mission is to end the cycle of poverty and crime by providing aspirational coding and entrepreneurship opportunities to offenders, ex-offenders and at-risk township youth - starting in South Africa, a country where it is estimated that more than 80% of prisoners reoffend and youth unemployment reaches 80% in many townships.

Brothers for All has partnered with local and international technology companies to offer internships and jobs to its students. It also works in partnership with the South African Police Force and the South African Department of Correctional Services and will this year start the first in-prison coding programme in Africa.

Students in its Langa township centre learn to code using leading training platforms like Codecademy and General Assembly, supported by local mentors. Coding is free but - in a model which hardwires in generosity - all students must contribute towards making recycled jewellery. Jewellery sales fund the organisation’s operations costs as well as supporting local community projects.

The organisation has won several South African startup awards and one of its ex-prisoner co-founders was recently named LeadSA hero of the month, a prestigious South African leadership award, and a Spark* Changemaker for 2015.

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