For many years Tembisa residents have known Ms Victoria Thabethe-Yende as an influential Tembisa businesswoman.
Ms Thabethe-Yende has sacrificed everything she worked hard for and committed herself to serving the community of Tembisa in rehabilitating nyaope addicts.
Ms Thabethe-Yende said she closed down a business she was running at her place of residence to make way for her odd projects.
“I had to remove my tenants and close down my profitable tavern business to create a favourable space to shelter these children,” said Ms Thabethe-Yende.
When many residents were complaining about the effects of nyaope addiction in the community of Tembisa, Ms Thabethe-Yende rolled up her sleeves and did something about the scourge.
At the shelter these boys are referred to as “born-agains” to try and detach them from the stigma implanted in the community’s mindset.
“I provide safe shelter to the born-agains and encourage them to undertake clinical treatments through local clinics,” she said.
The rehabilitation programme runs for three months where the born-agains are expected to take part in different activities like performing arts (music, drama) and early morning training.
On Wednesdays and Sundays Ms Thabethe-Yende takes the patients to church as a place of solace since many families cut out the born-agains from their lives.
Ms Thabethe-Yende also takes the born-agains to schools where they hold talks on the dangers of drug abuse in trying to discourage children from doing drugs.
“I also engage parents where I shed light as to what led their children to taking drugs.
“I advise the parents not to remind the children about the wrongs they did before they undertook the programme. I tell the parents to give support once their children have successfully completed the programme,” said Ms Thabethe-Yende.
Ms Thabethe-Yende takes these children through different tasks where she gives them complex tests in trying to rebuild trust in them.
She said the children come to the centre on their own accord because they are determined to make a change in their lifestyle.
She used to visit the cemetery where the children used to sleep in toilets, to see the kind of life they led and she proposed to give them a chance to start over and turn a new leaf.
Ms Thabethe-Yende said the children were excited and eager to embark on the journey of a new beginning.
“The place where these children stayed was in the middle of filth and they had no blankets and I felt bad for them,” she said.
She took them in, gave them clean clothes and food.
From just that gesture 10th Commandment Community Care Centre (10th CCCC) was born and there was new hope for nyaope addicts.
Ms Thabethe-Yende runs the centre from her own pocket and occasionally receives donations from donors.
To date, the centre has successfully rehabilitated 132 children and the current group is the seventh group since the centre’s inception in 2014.
“Those who have successfully completed the programme come back to help and motivate their peers throughout their stay,” said Ms Thabethe-Yende.
Any donor willing to lend a helping hand can contact Ms Thabethe-Yende on 071 266 6298, 072 541 0548 or 082 970 5471.
