After years of seeing how drugs and other related ills destroyed the lives of young people in Toekomsrus, there is hope.
This is because a project initiated by management of Women Against Women and Child Abuse (WAWA), called WAWA Life Skills Sports, is aimed at shaping young boys and girls to be become better role models for those who look up to them.
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After it was disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions in 2020, the project is now in full swing and will be turning around lives and giving those with potential a second chance at life.
In March, during the visit by Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko to the area, residents expressed their anger about how the community was destroyed by drugs; with many parents asking for government to intervene.
Manager of the project, Enrique Bhana, said the aim was to revive the community and be the beacon of hope for those who had given up on the situation and had lost hope.
All we’re doing is making efforts to teach youngsters to lead an honest life, and not to look up to drug lords who are essentially killing them; we want them to do the right thing,” Bhana said.
The project was launched after realising that many young people were desperate to break away from drugs, which had a hold on them.
He said due to the lack of proper facilities such as stadiums and recreational centres the issue became worse over the years.
“We’ve decided to step in, to use sport to bring about social change through which we hope that we will discover raw talent. Finding role models will be a bonus.
“Our stadiums aren’t working and we don’t have proper parks – we need proper facilities to help our young people. The state of things have changed. Some of us didn’t grow up like this. We have to revive the community before it’s too late.
We’re asking everyone to come and offer any form of support, whether as parents, residents or business to help us make the long-awaited change among the youth,” Bhana said.
