Join Bands, Not Gangs is a registered non-profit organisation community school from Cape Town that uses music as a means to fight gangsterism in at-risk neighbourhoods such as the Cape Flats.
The organisation focuses on getting 8 – 14-year-old kids into music programmes that are offered after school hours.
They offer one to two lessons every afternoon, five days a week, in “The Blue House” a venue in the middle of three rival gangs. This is their Prototype Community Programme.
“We are planning a second location in a rival gang’s turf in Heartherly Court in 2021”, says Bands Not Gangs.
“Eventually, we hope that a “Battle of the Bands” between satellite programs will replace the current battle of the gangs between the turfs. We, therefore “prevent” kids from joining gangs in the first place.”