Episode
From Gangs to Redemption | The Divine Ampofo Story
- Published
- Mar 5, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3314
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Summary
Divine Ampofo grew up in Walthamstow, sharing a cramped flat with his mum and three siblings in a neighbourhood shaped by poverty, violence and survival. By the age of thirteen he had been pulled into “the game”, a street culture where respect came through fear, drugs and violence. As a teenager he was shot, involved in stabbings and narrowly escaped death more than once. Surrounded by conflict and constant danger, the life promised money and status but delivered paranoia, loss and the very real prospect of prison or death. From childhood racism and isolation, to the pull of street identity, to the turning point that forced him to walk away from the life he once believed was success. Today he is an author, speaker and the founder of KIS4LIFE, working with schools, councils and youth organisations to prevent gang exploitation and knife crime. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Unbelievable Britain shares remarkable personal stories from across the country, told by the people who lived them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices