There comes a time when you cannot keep quiet and this is one of those times for me.
Through my work and the stories I am writing I have seen how the drug abuse in Springs is busy destroying our children.
This drug-destruction it not limited to our children using and abusing drugs, but there are children who are suffering because their parents are abusing them.
These parents cannot and will not care for their children because every cent goes to that substance he or she cannot live without.
This causes suffering and agony to more children in our town than we can imagine.
Everyone was shocked about the news of the “house of horrors” that was discovered last year in Springs, but spending an afternoon with some role players in the town, I realised that there are a lot of children being removed from their homes because of similar “horror” situations.
Yes, under our noses their are children who go to bed without a decent meal.
I understand that there are homes where there is simply not money to make ends meet, but these families can be and are assisted in various ways with food parcels and clothing.
But the reality of our town is that there are some homes where children are neglected and abused because of drugs and who are never taught basic life skills because their parents don’t give them guidance or discipline.
These children are part of our community and are with our children in school.
And this is why we cannot turn a blind eye or hide and pretend it is not happening in the house next to ours.
Springs is fortunate to have volunteer-organisations such as the Wild Wild Guardians, Hi5 Kids and Mad Rage Against Child Abuse that do care enough to help these children.
They work in their own time, using their own resources, but they don’t have the legal backing to remove these children from their circumstances.
What shocks me about today’s society is that organisations and individuals, who do care for children in various ways, have to close down because of a lack of funds.
There is also the country-wide tendency that child welfare organisations are closing down for the same reason.
These are the organisations with social work professionals that have the legal right to make recommendations to the children’s court about the future of children coming from adverse circumstances.
We, as a community, simply cannot allow any children’s organisation to close down, because what will become of our children if they need intervention?
I feel we, as a community, have to strengthen these family and child focused organisations and ensure that the personnel working for them are the best qualified to serve our town’s children with excellence.
There are many ways to help these organisations.
Money is welcome, because with it they pay their personnel and bills.
But more volunteers – helping hands – is what they need the most.
For instance, there can be more foster parents, who under the guidance of the social workers, will be able to temporarily house the children in need.
This is the time to stop ignoring the issue of helping our children and start doing something for them.
They are our next generation and need people to teach and help them to become responsible citizens of our country.
Read about
Drug abuse among teenagers.
