South African Teens Clean Streets, Challenge Gangs

In Bloemendal, South Africa, where gangs once dominated and trash piled high on abandoned streets, a group of friends decided they'd had enough.

Six years ago, Serano Vardy and Curtley Abrahams started Bloemendal My Plek with a simple goal: show young people there's a better path than gangs and drugs. What began as a few neighbors cleaning streets has grown into a youth movement rebuilding an entire community.

The volunteers don't wait for the city to fix potholes or clear dump sites. They grab paint brushes and garbage bags themselves, repainting speed bumps for safety and transforming neglected play areas into spaces where kids can actually play.

But the real transformation goes deeper than clean streets. The group helps young entrepreneurs start small businesses, from barbershops to ice cream stands, creating real alternatives to street life.

Abrahams knows what's at stake. "It is heartbreaking to see young people who have dropped out of school sitting on street corners doing substances," he says. He sees it every morning and afternoon, young lives slipping away.

So Bloemendal My Plek brings opportunities directly to people's doors. They host career days, connect students with educational programs, and run workshops on everything from gender violence prevention to job skills.

The results show up in unexpected places. Local schools report that kids feel proud of their neighborhood again. Parents notice their children talking about futures instead of just surviving.

The Ripple Effect

Perhaps the most striking sign of change? Even gang members have started paying attention. "Some have complimented us, recognising our work to improve communities," Abrahams says. They haven't faced pushback because even those caught up in gang life can see something genuine happening.

Former participants now return with success stories, proof that the alternative path actually works. Young people who once saw no options beyond their street corner now run businesses and pursue education.

Vardy is clear about their advantage: "We know first-hand what we and others in Bloemendal want to improve our circumstances. We grew up here." They're not outsiders imposing solutions but neighbors who understand the daily struggles because they live them too.

The volunteers call themselves a beacon, and the name fits. In a place where streetlights don't work and many have given up on official help, these young people are creating their own light.

After six years of hard work, the transformation is visible not just in repainted curbs and cleared lots, but in the eyes of kids who now believe their neighborhood can be more than a "gangster paradise."