Battling addiction with music

FOR nearly three years, Thobile Dladla (40) has been inspiring whoonga addicts with her music lessons. The aim of the altruistic project, initiated by the Durban mother of two, is ultimately to encourage the youth to ditch the deadly addiction. However, during a recent interview with the News, Dladla admitted that she needed some help to continue with her initiative.

“I am hoping to find a partner who is skilled in music, who would be able to help me write and teach music. I think it would really inspire the children to see me with a partner and they would also benefit from his or her skills,” she said.

Dladla, who has been working as a domestic worker in Durban North, saved up some of her hard-earned cash to fund the initiative, but has been financially struggling to continue in recent months.

Thus far, Dladla has been teaching 16 addicted youngsters (aged 16 to 24 years) to sing and play various instruments while encouraging them to return to school and to give back to their communities. This has been merely a reactive response to the rampant social issue.

However, now she hopes to broaden her project to include children aged between 12 and 15. “I hope to prevent addiction by targeting the children before they get involved in whoonga and other substances,” she said.

“My boys are very talented. I understand that it is difficult for them to quit, but I know that they will change and some of them have already begun to change. The biggest problem is that these boys are bored and don’t have anything to do. They have little hope and have dropped out of school. Many of them grew up without parents, and they need something to inspire them, to keep them busy,” said Dladla.

The passionate musician has also appealed to the community to donate any second-hand instruments in support of the project.

Contact Thobile Dladla on 078 703 1042.

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