Help at hand for substance abusers
The Silkworth Recovery Centre, which operates in both Primrose and Dukathole, hopes to help residents battling with addiction.
If you, or someone you know is battling with a substance abuse problem, there is hope and help is within reach.
Silkworth Recovery Centre, that opened its doors in December 2015, is determined to make a difference in the Germiston community, with branches in both Primrose and Dukathole.
“My journey with Alcoholics Anonymous began 26 years ago,” founder Kevin Maistry previously told the GCN.
“I began to look at recovery centres in the area and was shocked at how much these centres cost.
“Recovery has become a business, and when you are in addiction or have hit rock bottom and have lost everything, how can you be expected to afford some of the prices the recovery centres are asking?”
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It is with this in mind that Silkworth was born.
The centre first opened its doors in Primrose but soon Kevin and his wife Belinda identified, through working with the community of Dukathole, that there was a desperate need for prevention and awareness around substance abuse in the area.
“We had been working with the Dukathole community which is how we identified the community’s needs,” said Belinda.
Silkworth can be found in the old Dukathole clinic’s building, where an out clinic, which covers a variety of illnesses, is still hosted once a month through the centre.
The centre, which offers a full-time out-patient 12-step programme, in a safe and sober environment, is ideal for people who are struggling with addiction, and has had an excellent response from the Dukathole community and focuses on school awareness and prevention programmes and workers’ programmes.
“During the school awareness campaigns we visit schools and educate learners about substance abuse,” said Belinda.
“Education is better than cure which is why we are educating children about the dangers of substance abuse.”
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In addition to these on-going projects, the team hosts community jumble sales at regular intervals.
“The jumble sales offer us an opportunity to interact with the community and let them know we are here – it isn’t about making money,” said Belinda.
Last Saturday Silkworth hosted one of their community jumble sales, which over 300 people attended.
“It was a chaotic morning with people waiting outside from 6.30am and earlier,” Belinda said.
Silkworth prides itself on offering support not only to the individuals suffering from the addiction but to their loved ones too.
“We are happy to say that our programme is working,” Kevin said.
For more information on the centre call Belinda on 060 855 7818 or Kevin on 082 080 1595 or email to silkworthrecovery@gmail.com, alternatively visit www.silkworthrecoverycenter.org.
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