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Our Story

From The
Cape Flats
with Love

RLabs is an award-winning non-profit, established in Bridgetown, Cape Town, in 2009. We have since expanded our model to 24 countries across 5 continents, impacting more than 60 million people through our work.

Our main aim is to create environments and systems in which people are impacted, empowered, and transformed through HOPE, Innovation, Technology, Training, and Economic Opportunities.

To date, more than 2,500,000 people have accessed RLabs skills, training, and economic empowerment programmes. Our goal is now to impact 2 Billion people by 2030, and we are starting by focusing on where it is needed most – Africa.

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YEARS

We want to impact 2Billion Hearts by 2030.

We are all about expanding the movement,
are you in?

Our Method

We Believe in Keeping Things Simple

teachings

We Build People

Our primary goal is to empower community members by facilitating digital, entrepreneurial, work readiness and leadership training.

build

They Build Businesses

We then facilitate environments in which they can practice what they've learnt with the help of masterclasses and mentorship.

scale

We Help Them Scale

To profitable businesses that provide a digital solution to a social impact, we would provide seed funding or investment toward their growth.

Our Awards

The simplicity of this method
has unlocked many accolades

our team

Here are some of the purpose driven champions who made it happen

Christine Taphel

Christine is a passionate advocate for youth and women, and is driven by a sense of duty to serve them. She has been a key contributor to our organisational culture since the early days, and now serves as our CEO.

Elvina Ruiters

Elvina is passionate about ensuring that everyone is dignified, happy and productive. She has helped us refine the way we approach HR and as our Director of People, has masterously developed our department.

Cindy-Lee Stander

Cindy-Lee is the Chief of Enterprise Development at RLabs. She brings extensive experience in Design Thinking, having acquired certification from the Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking at the University of Cape Town (D-School), and earned a junior Design Thinking Coach certification through Impact Week. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree with Mancosa.Since joining RLabs in 2015, Cindy-Lee has grown through leadership, digital, personal development, and entrepreneurship training. She began designing and facilitating programs focused on youth development in digital skills and entrepreneurship, which laid the foundation for her deep engagement in enterprise development.

Suzanne Smith

Suzanne is Chief of Community. Her journey with RLabs started back in 2010 when she graduated from the organization’s Moms class. What began as a personal growth experience quickly turned into a lifelong mission to uplift others. Since then, she’s been deeply involved in empowering women and supporting communities across South Africa. With over 11 years of hands-on experience in community engagement, Suzanne has become known for her ability to bring people together, build strong connections, and lead programs that make a real difference. She’s passionate about planning strategically, working with stakeholders, and coming up with creative ways to meet the needs of the communities she serves.

Keziah Coetzee

Keziah is the Chief of Media and Communications. She was born a creative artist by blood and heart with a deep love for art, film, storytelling, and production.Her journey began at the junction of beauty and film, as a make-up artist, where she discovered the power of visuals and the importance of creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and celebrated.Beyond the camera and creative direction, what drives her most is people. She's passionate about building up young people, investing in community, and leading with love, whether on set or working in office alongside her team.She also co-founded a creative studio that focuses on media and production, that tells meaningful stories and amplify voices that matter.Creativity is her calling, but care is the foundation. She believes the most powerful stories are the ones created authentically, together, with kindness at the core.

Michael Abrahams

Michael Abrahams is the Chief of Operations and Chief of Technology, where he’s been a driving force since co-founding the organisation in 2009.Starting as a tech support officer, Michael developed a deep passion for technology through A+ and N+ certifications.He has since added credentials in project management, Google IT Support Fundamentals, and cybersecurity.He remains committed to using his skills to empower communities through innovation and digital inclusion.

Andrea De Wet

Andrea is the Chief of Youth, and a passionate leader in youth employment and innovation, focused on connecting young people to meaningful career opportunities.Through her work with RLabs Connect and the YES4Youth Employment Programme, she's supported over 1,200 youth entering into the workforce by building strong partnerships and systems that work.With a background in Public Management and certifications in payroll, bookkeeping, and business writing, she brings both heart and structure to the work. She is committed to creating spaces where youth can grow, thrive, and build sustainable futures.

Teri-lee Dilgee

Teri-lee is the Chief of Expansion, a dynamic force driving positive change in South Africa since 2013.As a passionate advocate for youth empowerment, she embarked on a transformative journey, dedicating herself to building, training, and coaching young individuals from often overlooked communities.With a diverse skill set encompassing collaboration, communication, organization, digital and social innovation, leadership, project administration, and design thinking, Teri-lee stands at the forefront of impactful initiatives.Her unwavering commitment to providing access to employment and economic opportunities has made her a true change-maker.

Charlton Noble

Charlton Noble is the Chief of Innovation, where he leads the development of inclusive, tech-enabled solutions that drive social impact.His journey began at the RLabs Youth Café, where he overcame personal challenges and discovered a passion for innovation and community development.Charlton has played a key role in building and scaling initiatives like Zlto, RLabs Café, RLabs Agritech, and RLabs House, all aimed at empowering youth and transforming communities.He is a graduate of the Design Thinking Programme at the Hasso Plattner d-school (UCT GSB) and the proud co-founder of Raresonate, a creative venture focused on storytelling and Strategy.

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