Home for men struggling with substance abuse
ROODEPOORT - Drug rehabilitation starts with removing the drug user from his problem and then the recovery process can begin.
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Rehabilitation of drug users is often not successful because after rehab, users fall back into their old patterns after their first month back at home, ToughLove chairperson Gordon Dewar said.
ToughLove is a loving solution for families that are being torn apart by unacceptable behaviour, be it drugs, alcohol, substance, verbal or physical abuse.
Dewar is also the director of Legae La Nnete, which currently houses 20 men for rehabilitation purposes and explained, “Legae La Nnete which means, ‘A Real Home’ in Setswana, opened in April 2010 and the goal is to rehabilitate men who suffer from substance abuse and other drug-related problems.”
According to him, the men who are accepted into the home are encouraged to focus primarily on themselves for the first three months. “They are not encouraged to seek employment within this period which is dedicated to spiritual and self restoration.”
The location of the home is what makes it unique as its situated on the outskirts of Mulderdrift. “We have been lucky enough to be able to buy a nine hectare farm with a large house and an out-house. The farm also plays a big part in the rehabilitation process as the men participate and help with the sustainability of the farm, for example vegetable farming and general maintenance of the farm.”
Dewar further explained that the house has 13 rooms. “We have two men per room and I believe that they have to work in order to earn an income and to live here.”
He said after the first three months the men are encouraged to seek and consider employment options and are assisted where possible. “They are advised to stay on the farm for at least a year after employment and are assisted with how to manage their finances. They are encouraged to pay a percentage of their income as rental on the property, and they are taught how to save in order to purchase basic things needed to help with the set up of their own homes such as a beds, fridges, stoves, crockery and cutlery. They are given basic skills to equip them to re-establish themselves within ‘normal’ life.”
The rehabilitation process works closely with Christian values that are taught to the men by a team of dedicated counsellors and psychologists. “We have development and mentorship programmes that are attended by the men every day for an hour. These programmes help to set up the men for the real world and they are also taught basic computer skills, and we also work on their interview skills that are essential in helping them find new work.”
The home is funded and supported by various companies with donations and help is always needed, explained Dewar. “We are extremely grateful for Checkers that supplies us with food and necessities needed to survive, but we still need stuff like extra netting to cover the vegetable garden outside and we are planning to build an extra house next door. We also still need building materials to complete the house.”