Mohau Maretele
IPELEGENG – Imologa Community Projects recently hosted a community dialogue on substance abuse and re-integration program. The dialogue aimed at obtaining views and comments from members of the community as well as drug users on what the organisation can do to assist them. The dialogue also aimed at sourcing ideas from the substance users on challenges they face daily as they try to break away from their addiction.
During the dialogue it was realised that several families living with substance abusers were having a hard-time dealing with members who had to deal with addiction and on top of that had to deal crime related issues worsened by their ongoing problem. Imologa Community Projects spokesperson Millicent Mabena mentioned that some users brought up factors that are contributing to thier slow recovery in terms of rehabilitation as, one of them, being abandoned by their families and being thrown out of their of their homes. “Some of them are not treated well for obvious reasons. Even when they try to get rehabilitated it is all for nothing. Family as well as the community continue to reject them, all the see are a bunch of junkies.” Ms Mabena lamented.
However, Ms Mabena added that the community was pleased with the platform created that gives them an opportunity to speak up and comeup with ways of getting them out of the illegal substances problem they have. According to attendants, there are limited recreational facilities in Mamusa remain one of the major obstacles faced multitudes of children who resort to using substances to while away time. They complained that a number of young boys and girls as early as the age of 12 resort to drugs as the only form of entertainment. Some of these kids come from poverty stricken families and they are exposed to hardships at a tender age. In an effort to curb the challenge of young people turning into drug addicts, Imologa Community Projects created an annual event where young ones from different family backgrounds can participate in. The event is built up on a program that includes different sporting codes, performing arts, visual arts, indigenous games and debate.
“Because Imologa hosts an event at the end of the year with the theme of “killing drugs through sport”, the community mentioned that they would like to see programs like these happening throughout the year”, added Millicent.
A lot of information was shared among the attendees during the dialogue, such as: why there are so many drugs in Ipelegeng, which illegal substances are commonly used and how easily they are accessed.
“Ipelegeng, listened and we will do aour best to fight this scourge in our community.” They declared.
