The Story of Ai-Ais Coffee House and Vision behind Ai-Ais Events

In 1969, Lourens Rautenbach was born in Walvisbay, and due to his mother’s medical condition, his family moved to Pretoria in 1976. Over the years, they continued to travel to Namibia, their preferred holiday destination. The journey took them through the Northern Cape and later Botswana after the completion of the Kalahari highway. While attempts were made to explore other holiday spots in RSA, none compared to the warmth of home.

Lourens embarked on a career in law enforcement in 1989, leaving the police service in 2001 to pursue a career in the fast-moving consumer goods business. With a passion for people, he felt a calling to help others.

About seven years ago, the dream of opening a coffee shop in Hartbeespoort took shape. The name “Ai-Ais coffee house” was suggested by his wife, Lente, and their son, Lourens, hand-drew the logo. The digital version was later created by Lourens’s sister-in-law, Geneveve, and their daughter, Melisza, took charge of webpage development on various platforms.

Ai-Ais Events

Lourens’s active lifestyle passion led him to bodybuilding, competing in his first show in 1987. As an IFBB athlete, he earned National colours four times and became an international judge. In October 2022, a group of old bodybuilders, initially six, grew to around 50, giving birth to the idea of Ai-Ais Events.

The vision for Ai-Ais Events is to host a multi-sport charity event, starting with six different sports disciplines and introducing a transformation division. Participants submit videos or pictures showcasing their journey to a panel of judges, aiming to lose weight through an active lifestyle and a healthy diet.

Ai-Ais Events’ overarching vision is to donate funds to charity and inspire people to embrace a more active and healthier lifestyle. For Lourens, the belief is that he was put on earth for a purpose – to help others, a path he intends to follow to the best of his ability to honour a higher calling.