Tembisa Drug Rehabilitation Movement marks three years of fighting addiction
The Tembisa Drug Rehabilitation Movement (TDRM) celebrated its third anniversary with a community march, honouring parents affected by substance abuse while reaffirming its mission to support addicts and promote a drug-free future.
The Tembisa Drug Rehabilitation Movement (TDRM) celebrates three years of fighting drugs and saving the youth of Thembisa.
The movement, founded by Thato Matome with the help of his mother, has grown significantly, with the community relying on its services to fight addiction and live a drug-free life.
On August 30, the centre marched from Thembisa’s Straight-Line to Difateng, where the team host weekly sessions, to celebrate their journey. It has been a long road, taking hundreds of addicts to sessions and rehab to better their lives.
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The celebration was also dedicated to parents subjected to humiliation and hurt by their children’s drug abuse.
“We have seen that our parents go through a lot because of us, so we chose to dedicate this day to our mothers and make amends for what we have done. Some have died, and others are going through issues because of the stress we bring them.
“We want our mothers to share a positive story about us, and wish to reassure and restore the love and joy that we took from them through our actions.
“So, with this celebration, we also use the month to commemorate our mothers, who have been through it all because of us,” said Matome.
Xolani Khumalo from the Xolani Foundation said the partnership with the centre seeks to help remove drugs from the community.
“Our foundation promotes a drug-free society, and we strive to remove drugs from the community. Unfortunately, Thembisa remains one of the most affected areas, yet keep in mind that we have not done a full operation here where we fight to remove this root.
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“For now, we focus on cleaning the community, helping addicts find their space and ensuring they are loved by the community.
Drugs are an issue in the community, and we will work with officials to fight them. Unfortunately, some are corrupt, while others are loyal to the cause, but we will fight for the future of the community.
“Our foundation is also working on finding solutions to create employment for those who have been through rehab so they do not feel left out,” he said.
