Awareness campaign instils hope among Delmore youth

With a microphone in hand, Gloria Mdluli, director of the Sinethembe Have Hope programme, stood under the blazing sun in Delmore on June 24 as a group of attentive parents and chattering young people gathered around for a substance abuse and GBV awareness day.

The message at this community event was clear and urgent – substance abuse and gender-based violence are real issues that are occurring right now, and young people need support rather than silence.

A strong lineup of local services and organisations, including Social Development, local SAPS and CPF, the Emergency Medical and Policing Division (EMPD), SANCA, a mobile clinic, and Nedbank, were there to help ensure that practical care matched the difficult conversations.

Sinethembe Have Hope also fed the young people.

Mdluli explained that bringing services into the community removes a major challenge.

“Many young people in informal settlements find it difficult to ask for help.”

Comprehensive assistance with the event combined preventive and awareness measures with on-site services such as medical care, social care reservations, police information, and financial advice.
Mdluli, the director, provided local leadership that grounded the day with calm authority, bringing youth voices to the forefront and ensuring the event felt friendly rather than clinical.

Although Sinethembe Have Hope is well-known throughout the area for its work on adolescent pregnancy, HIV and Aids, and orphaned and vulnerable children, this event felt distinct and more urgent. Rather than using posters or remote marketing, locals had in-person conversations with experts.

A temporary booking station was set up by social development professionals so that families who often couldn’t go to official offices could sign up for services right away.

A social development employee informed the locals. “We don’t expect people to come to us; we meet them where they are.”

Seeing familiar faces from Sinethembe Have Hope and hearing the same messages from several agencies fosters trust and increases confidence in services.

“In our experience, people who are given specific next steps, such as clinic referrals, social development appointments, and contact information for legal and police support, take immediate action.”

The SAPS and EMPD discussed crime prevention and safety, providing advice on reporting abuse, understanding your legal rights, and lodging complaints, and emphasising confidentiality and safety for survivors.

The mobile clinic on site was turned into a temporary medical facility as nurses provided information on counselling, HIV testing, contraception, routine testing and options for young people living with HIV.

During small-group sessions, when counsellors and peer educators talked about triggers, risky behaviours, and how addiction usually intersects with poverty and trauma, drug abuse came into sharp focus.

Young people who attended were urged to locate peer networks and safe, sober locations that encourage good decision-making.

Nedbank held a brief, hands-on seminar on opening bank accounts, avoiding predatory lenders, and budgeting for school fees.

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The young people who attended said the event was ‘real’ and ‘useful.’

One young woman described how the session on reporting gender-based violence helped her feel less alone, while another described how she learned how to seek emergency contraception and local counselling resources.

Parents expressed gratitude for the clear guidance and opportunity to discuss applications and assistance in private with Social Development workers, indicating that many people are discouraged from asking for assistance due to transportation costs and paperwork.

“This is just the beginning,” said Mdluli. “Follow-up workshops on substance-abuse recovery paths, survivor support, and youth leadership training are planned so that young people can take the lead in future discussions.”

Residents requested organisers to return frequently, emphasising the need for ongoing cooperation with government agencies and non-governmental organisations.

This event was a tiny, hopeful picture of a community learning to defend itself, with young people laughing over plates of food and exchanging fliers and hotline numbers.

Long after the last plate is emptied, however, those discussions can continue thanks to Sinethembe Have Hope’s leadership and local partners.

Contact Gloria Mdluli on 082 547 2755 if you want to get involved or assist the organisation in any way.

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