Popular actors launch initiative to fight nyaope

Two popular actors have teamed up to fight the devastating scourge of drug abuse in Johannesburg, especially the nyaope concoction which is sweeping the townships.

Known as the Adams Night Camp, an initiative founded by TV show Ashes to Ashes lead actor, Patrick Shai, along with his counterpart in the show, Menzi ‘Ngubs’ Ngubane, the two unveiled the project at a media briefing at Jeff’s Office Park in Dobsonville, Soweto, to highlight the ‘horrors that the Nyaope drug is engineering in society’.

Speaking at the launch, Shai said Adams Night Camp was a humanitarian and social intervention programme which brought together fathers and their sons in a camping initiative.

Nyaope has also taken Alexandra by storm with devastating consequences, including numerous deaths as a result of the use of the deadly drug which has only recently been classified as illicit, and whose use and possession is now a criminal offence.

Shai said he would be camping with his son, who is also largely affected by the drug nyaope, and described the camp as one of the initiatives that he thinks can help men realise the role they have to play in the development and the wellness of the boy child.

Mokotsi Stoffel and Mojalefa Molahlehi were two struggling nyaope addicts who formed part of the press table, and in the stories that they shared, their major cry was such that, even if they wanted to change, the community has lost trust in them and they now feel marginalised.

“We’re prepared to divorce the drug and reclaim our lives back,” they said, adding that in order to sustain the habit, they ended up committing domestic crimes, such as stealing groceries, jewellery and involving themselves in public crimes such as housebreaking and theft.

The pair appealed to the community to support them as they embark on this journey of detoxing at the Adams Night Camp and also thanked the initiative designed to rehabilitate them and others.

The camp will be hosted on 18 to 20 November and will house 30 nyaope addicts and 30 fathers who will play a mentorship role during the three-day camp. They will share a two-sleeper tent until the last day of camp.

The camp programme has a variety of activities which include performing arts, father and son dialogues, cooking lessons, a mentorship programme, sports, a fashion show and presentations from key health and fitness stakeholders.

The overall camp benefits present multiple opportunities in various fields of human development, those being heightened awareness, platform for advocacy against nyaope, opportunities for rehabilitation through sports and recreation, participation in behaviour change programmes, the creation of rehabilitative programmes for victims of nyaope, gender violence and other societal horrors.

Details: To join this initiative, contact info@adamsnight.co.za; 079 482 5323; for further support, contact Narcotics Anonymous on 083 900 6962.

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