Founders, Cliffy and Indranee Reddy emigrated with their children Shawn and Jenilee to New Zealand from South Africa in 2001, establishing a successful café in Clendon, Manurewa.They quickly formed warm relationships with the locals and began to see many struggling with drug addiction, habitual offending, abuse, fractured relationships and other challenges, without the necessary support to break free. Determined to help in a more constructive and practical way, the Reddy's sold their café and home in 2005 to establish faith-based community outreach programmes funded through their own savings. In 2010 the Te Whakaora Tangata Trust was established, originally operating out of the Manurewa Marae. The name Te Whakaora Tangata was gifted to the organisation by one of the Marae Kaumatua, and means "Life Restoration for the People". Cliffy Reddy is now on the Board of the Manurewa Marae.