The Afri-CAN Café Co-operative marks a paradigm shift in aid development. It translates charitable intent into a sustainable business enterprise—one that can work anywhere in Africa. Here's how. The Afri-CAN Café Co-operative converts 40 foot long overseas shipping containers into modern cafés with on site bakeries. Each Café employs four to six individuals. These employees learn the bakery/café business and the skills to become an entrepreneur while earning a salary and being able to make additional money from Café profits. Each Café is ultimately a self-supporting enterprise, which will provide full time employment for its work force.
All Cafés are owned by The Afri-CAN Café Co-operative Charity, which has been created to serve every one of its Staff 'Members'. 100% of all funds donated and generated are spent on expanding the number of Cafés, financing Cafés, and exclusively helping the people that work there. A Co-operative approach. No shareholders, no lenders, just donors and Staff Members. Charity and commerce coming together under one roof.
We aim to roll out The Afri-CAN Cafés across the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. It's ambitious. We have targeted 12 countries and we work each day in deciding what approach fits each country best. If we get it right we could have hundreds of Afri-CAN Cafés over time. One of the first truly Pan-African brand names and one representing a modern Co-operative approach. Translation of charitable intent into a sustainable business enterprise-one that can work anywhere in Africa. Café co-operative converts 40' x 8' overseas shipping containers into modern cafes with on site bakeries. Build of the brand in Tanzania and other countries in 2011, expansionary work.