Retired gang members Mar and Moses Riek know firsthand how trapped life on the streets can feel, where escape seems impossible.
In a heartfelt conversation with Gazette journalist Afraa Kori, they shared their testimony and the recipe for change.
“I see my testimony as a blueprint and a pathway out of the streets and trouble,” they said.
Born in Sudan, the Riek family fled the country’s civil war and arrived in Australia in 2005. Initially settling in Sydney, the family later moved to Pakenham following their parent’s separation.
Growing up in a single-parent household with limited support, the brothers faced instability and challenges in finding their identity.
From an early age, the Riek brothers excelled in sport. Moses stood out as a promising junior basketball player, earning a spot in the NBL Combine and preparing for a tour in the United States until an injury ended his career. While Mar nurtured his own basketball ambitions. These passions would later collide with the temptation of street life.
Mar’s introduction to crime began with petty theft, bike stealing, and selling drugs to make income.
By 13, he formed a gang with Sudanese youth in South East Melbourne, navigating rivalries with other groups largely shaped by tribal and geographic divisions.
“We competed over status, respect, women, and power,” Mar recalls.
“The same year I joined the gang is the same year I left. I realize it wasn’t truly me.
“Thank the good lord I never was imprisoned or faced court for any of my actions in my past, I always escaped death and prison.”
Moses’ path was similar to Mar’s, but it went deeper and lasted longer. After a hip injury ended his promising basketball career, he disengaged from school and family, gradually drifting into petty crime before escalating into more serious offences under the influence of older, more experienced gang leaders.
His criminal activities culminated in a home invasion in Wantirna South in 2020, which led to a four and a half year prison sentence.
The deaths of two young peers, Dau and Chol, became another wake-up call.
Mar realised the violence and gang culture he had once embraced was pointless and destructive.
“The streets is dead,” he said. “No longevity, no generational wealth, no proud parents, no economic development and stabilisation. No results to show for the effort our families have put in to assimilate to this country.”
Moses’ turning point came during prison. Participating in rehabilitation programs, he reclassified to minimum security and began to rebuild his identity.
Despite additional setbacks, including a broken leg that ended both his boxing and basketball dreams, he pursued education in civil construction and a military preparation course.
Both brothers describe finding purpose and a sense of moral responsibility as the catalyst for change.
Today, the Riek brothers channel their experiences into mentorship and community work. Mar heads music programs at Next Generation Unite and both brothers co-founded 1038 The Collective, a record label aimed at empowering young creatives in Pakenham.
He uses his platform to advocate for community development, financial literacy, self-improvement, and living a life guided by faith in God.
Moses, only released from prison last year, works with a range of government organisations and has joined the South Sudanese Expert Working Group within the Department of Justice.
He mentors youth involved in the justice system, helping them navigate support services, while engaging with government and corporate programs to create new opportunities.
“I’m learning to be a professional, navigating corporate spaces, and even working with the government,” Moses said.
“I see my testimony as a blueprint and a pathway out of the streets and trouble. I want young people to know they can reach out to me, talk to me, and I can connect them with support.”
Both brothers stress the importance of showing young people that alternatives to gang life exist.
Mar emphasises staying true to morals and thinking long-term.
“I hope it empowers others to pick themselves and their futures first,” he says.
Moses highlights resilience, noting, “Don’t give up on your dreams. The streets may have taken some paths from me, but they didn’t take my purpose.
“I often hear this long told story from ordinary citizens and professionals in the field that there is nothing we can do, it has gone too far, but this is another problem within itself, it all starts from believing in change and having hope.”
The Riek brothers aspire to leave a lasting mark: mentoring youth, creating opportunity, and challenging the generational cycle of gang involvement.
Through 1038 The Collective and community work, they hope to show that even those who have walked dark paths can become leaders and role models.
