Gavin grew up in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain. He lost his mother as a child. He fell into addiction, joined prison gangs, and was incarcerated at Pollsmoor for aggravated robbery. By every measure, his story was heading in one direction.

Then it changed. And now Gavin is the person he once needed, leading the men's programme inside Pollsmoor for men walking the same road he once walked. Alongside him, Kirsten Adams leads the women's programme, bringing the same depth of commitment to every woman preparing to return to society.

Most people who are incarcerated will return to society. That is not an opinion, it is a fact. The question is not whether they come back. The question is who they come back as, and whether anyone invested in giving them a different set of tools.

Without structured support, many people leave Pollsmoor and return to the same environments, networks, and survival patterns that led to incarceration in the first place. Not because they want to, but because change without support is almost impossible.

Gang culture inside prison makes this harder still. It reinforces identity and loyalty in ways that follow people outside the gates. A programme that understands that culture, led by people who have lived inside it - creates a different kind of conversation.

This is preventative work. Every rand invested in a person before they leave Pollsmoor is a rand that may prevent harm, restore a family, and change what a community looks like five years from now.

He lost his mother young, under traumatic circumstances, and carried that grief into a life that gradually unravelled. He turned to substances to cope. He became involved in crime. He was arrested for aggravated robbery and incarcerated at Pollsmoor, where he entered the number gang system and experienced firsthand how prison hardens rather than heals.

Change did not come quickly or easily. Gavin tried to change his life more than once before it took. His turning point came when he reached a place of complete exhaustion with the path he was on and when he witnessed someone he knew rebuild their life after more than 30 years on the streets. That moment cracked something open. For the first time, change felt possible.

Today, Gavin works as a Peer Field Worker with the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), helping vulnerable people on the streets reconnect with support and family. He has his own home. He has built a life of stability, purpose, and leadership from a foundation that once nearly destroyed him.

His credibility is not despite his past. It is because of it. The men inside Pollsmoor will not be spoken to by someone who has read about their reality. They will be guided by someone who has lived it.

Meet Kirsten Adams

Kirsten Adams leads the women’s programme at Pollsmoor, creating a supportive and structured space where participants can reflect, learn and prepare for life beyond incarceration. Drawing on her background in coaching and personal development, she works alongside the women with respect and care, offering guidance and tools that support personal growth and future reintegration.

Together, Gavin and Kirsten aim to ensure that every participant, regardless of gender, receives consistent and meaningful support as they prepare to return to their communities.

• Life coaching before release - mindset, decision-making, emotional regulation, and accountability
• Gangster reform sessions - addressing gang identity and the work of stepping away from that culture
• Practical reintegration support - employment, housing, family reconnection, and identity outside of prison
• Printed life coaching workbooks for every participant
• Introduction and completion ceremonies - beginning and ending each journey with dignity
• Community follow-up after release - support that does not stop at the gate
  

What Your Donation Makes Possible

Our fundraising goal is R250,000. Every rand goes directly toward:

• Facilitator stipends and transport
• Life coaching workbooks and session materials
• Introduction and completion sessions
• Storytelling documentation to capture participant journeys
• Community reintegration support after release



Your contribution at a glance:

• R250 - one printed life coaching workbook
• R500 - facilitator transport for one session
• R2,500 - one full month of coaching sessions

No amount is too small. Every contribution is a vote of confidence that people can change.

How to Donate

You can donate online via Raisely, BackaBuddy, or directly into our bank account:

Donate via Direct Bank Transfer

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Most people will return to society. The question is who they return as and whether anyone gave them the tools to choose differently.

Dr. Phil-Afel Foundation | PBO No. 930083356

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