Our Founder and Chairman, Stefan Allesch-Taylor CBE reflects on the opening of the first Afri-CAN Cafes in Malawi and the development of the program thus far.
“Malawi was the first country we launched the Afri-CAN Cafes in, so it will always be special to us. Over the last few years the team there, led by Stewart Kameme, have overcome some huge challenges, post election civil unrest, power shortages, crippling fuel inflation to name a few. It has been a remarkable testament to the Afri-CAN Cafe staff that they have constantly over the years shown a financial surplus on all of our Cafes there. The beneficiaries of the Afri-CAN Cafes in Malawi have numbered over 100 during those years and we have all waited to see if the program can be truly sustainable over a considerable time period despite the economic challenges Malawi poses. After a two week strategic review of the Cafes by my Co-Chairman, Charles Kay, in the Malawian capital of Lilongwe, we are delighted to commit to a further rollout of the program to Salima and Mchinji under the continued leadership of Stewart Kameme. Our mission was to create a sustainable social venture charity that provided training and long term full time employment and we have succeeded in doing so only with the determination and dedication of all the Afri-CAN Cafe staff in Malawi. Their work will ensure that many others in Malawi will be afforded the same opportunity.” – Stefan Allesch-Taylor CBE, Chairman, The Afri-CAN Charity.
