Mamelodi stakeholders join forces to fight drugs at schools
The social ills within schools programme is part of the back-to-school campaign working towards eradicating drugs at locals schools.
Mamelodi organisations came together on Friday to fight social ills within local schools.
The social ills within schools programme is part of the back-to-school campaign, a collaboration between the Thandanani Drop Inn Centre, Matimba Sinqobile Integrated Centre social workers, Charity organisation, Mamelodi CPF and Mamelodi police.
The stakeholders visited Mamelodi secondary school on Friday.
Kate Kekana of Thandanani said the aim of the programme is to deliver an important message about the dangers of drugs and substance abuse.
She said the programme is about collaboration “the idea of working separately does not help each”.
“The idea of working together helps because different stakeholders have their own skills and knowledge towards eradicating the issue of drugs, especially in schools.
Primary and secondary schools in Mamelodi are major stakeholders in the social ills within schools programme,” said Kekana.
The programme comes up with an outreach and also addresses bullying, teen pregnancy and gangsterism.
Kekana said this would be an ongoing programme, and they were focused on primary and secondary schools because that’s where everything starts.
She said the aim was to dissuade learners from taking drugs or alcohol.
“We have different speakers to discuss the different illnesses with the learners. Our target is all the schools in Mamelodi and Nellmapius.”
She said the prevention message focused on early intervention, awareness, counselling and referral of addicts to rehab centres.
Kekana said it was important for children to know that it’s okay to be what they want to be without worry about discrimination.
“We are also having one-on-one sessions whereby we assess learners and build a long-term relationship with them, making them really understand the importance of not using drugs.”
Anti-drug abuse ambassador, Peter Mamahlodi, spoke to learners about addiction and risky behaviours and encouraged them to love themselves enough to never do drugs and to help their addicted friends.
He said the programme also offered counselling by social workers. “We refer addicted learners to rehab centres for professional help.”
Mamahlodi spoke about different types of drugs and how addicts behaved.
He warned learners about crystal meth, a drug that has taken over the streets of Mamelodi.
“There are many ways that lead to drug and substance abuse – peer pressure, a fancy lifestyle, cigarettes, and hubbly bubbly,” said Mamahlodi.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
