Milestone in addiction recovery celebrated by KaNyamazane Rehabilitation Centre

It was a memorable day for 51 graduates as they received medals and certificates for reaching a milestone in their drug addiction recovery programme.

On May 20, a graduation ceremony was hosted by the KaNyamazane Rehabilitation Centre at the Pentecostal Holiness Church to celebrate their achievements.

This was the sixth ceremony to be held since this programme started in 2019.
This graduation was in partnership with other stakeholders such as the Helping Hands People to People Ministry, New Hope Foundation and Sr Genevieve’s Clinic.

According to Dr Gcina Joel Mavuso, the founder of the KaNyamazane Medical Centre and the rehabilitation programme, in this initiative, they go to the streets and invite people who are struggling with drug and substance abuse to participate.

Mavuso said this year-long rehabilitation initiative consists of counselling, conducting weekly drugs tests and many other services required on this journey.

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“We go to every space where they usually hang around in groups, like parks and taxi ranks. We do not only provide the rehab programme, but encourage them to join our Haven Praise Centre church so they would not feel abandoned. This way we show them that they are not alone because they are suffering from an addiction,” he said. The goal is to remove young people from the streets, especially those using drugs, so they can be drug-free.

According to him, they get to restart their lives by knowing the Lord and be able to provide for their families.
“One of the challenges we faced, is the expensive price of the testing kits these past three years. We are happy that the prices have been reduced this year. Now we can reach more patients than in the past years when it cost R1 200 per individual to get a four-month testing kit.”

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Nhlanhla Mbethe, one of the candidates who completed the 12-month programme, said he appreciates what Mavuso is doing in the community and how he had saved him.

“Now, my friend Eugene Mahlangu and I own a business. We do ceiling installations for our customers, and it is going well. It has been a year since I am clean from drugs. I thank my family for supporting me, and my friend who invited me to come to this programme,” he said.

After handing the certificates and medals to the candidates, a parent, Busie Mavuso, said the doctor and his team are doing a good job for accepting their calling of helping the youth in their communities to quit drugs and follow the Lord.