“Ke Moja” Without Drugs - Tswelopele Community Centre
Tswelopele Community Centre in Refengkgotso, Deneysville is doing all it can to fight the scourge of drugs usage in the area. With limited resources such as office and training equipment’s the Centre is running prevention and awareness programs about substance abuse targeting young learners at schools and many young people who are staying at home. Their awareness and prevention programs includes street talks, pamphlets distribution, sports tournaments, competitions, debates etc.
The Centre was started in 2005.One of the Centre’s main challenge is that it is focusing more on prevention and awareness those who were already affected they used to refer them to another Centre in the Vaal area, but due to the issue of demarcation they are no longer able to refer outdoor victims there. “We used to refer the affected patients to a Centre in the Vaal as it was accepting outdoor patients for free as we don’t have such facility nearby that can accept patients for free and now we can no longer do so because they have raise issue of demarcation as we are coming from another province.” Said Grace Maphoto project manager.
Maphoto said that has affected their work as those they are trying to help and those who have been treated end up retuning to drugs again. The Centre according to Maphoto will be launching a program called ‘Ke Moja’ soon were they will be implementing substance abuse programs at schools. The Centre says the high drug usage in the area is due to lack of activities for young people, high rate of unemployment and lack of information. The Centre has appealed to the community, Police, parents, teachers and everyone to play their part in fighting drugs usage in the area, they also encourage members of the community not to buy stolen goods as that money is being used to buy drugs.
–Puisano reporter.
