Depression group elaborates on Ke Moja: I’m Fine Without Drugs programme

The minister of social development, Lindiwe Zulu, launched Ke Moja on June 26, 2003, and the programme was embraced by parliament in that same period. Substance abuse has become an ever-increasing challenge facing the youth globally and within South Africa.

Drugs mainly affect those who are most vulnerable, such as the youth. The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is a critical period in which experimentation with illicit drugs may feature in many cases.

Drugs may have a strong appeal to young people who are beginning their struggle for independence as they search for their identity. This appeal can lead to a variety of social ills impacting on the health, behaviour and state of mind of the country’s youth, placing them at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses later on in life.

Due to their curiosity and thirst for new experiences, peer pressure, resistance to authority, low self-esteem in some cases and problems with establishing positive interpersonal relationships, young people are particularly susceptible to the allure of drugs.

While there are various reasons for drug abuse, marginalised youth are particularly susceptible to the enticement of drugs. At the same time there is considerable abuse among socially integrated youths. Evidence suggests that experimentation with drugs is taking place at an earlier age than was previously the case.

The global increase in substance abuse should be seen against the backdrop of an environment in which young people are increasingly being confronted with rapid social and technological change, as well as a more competitive society in which the drive to succeed is high and personal fulfilment emphasised. In addition, a weakening in traditional values and family ties are being experienced together with an increased need for higher levels of stimulation.

Providing people who work with these children with the necessary tools and resources is critical to enable them to provide effective drug abuse preventative education. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the government of South Africa, with Department of Social Development as a lead, adopted Ke Moja as a national drug awareness and prevention programme that aims to mobilise against drug abuse.

The programme started with this message: “Ke moja, no thanks, I’m fine.” Research was conducted by the Human Science Research Council and the findings indicated that young people have accepted “Ke moja“ as a slogan.

It was also found that the campaign needed to broaden the message to say “Ke moja: I’m fine without drugs.”

The programme focuses on using a variety of activities as tools to educate, empower and develop awareness of the harmful effects of substance abuse, especially illicit drugs. Children and youth are the main target groups while the community will also benefit.

In February 2007, the first Biennial Substance Abuse Summit indicated the importance of strengthening and integrating prevention programmes, which led to the establishment of the Ke Moja National Steering Committee (NSC). Subsequent to the summit, the NSC hosted an interdepartmental seminar to forge ahead with development of the Ke Moja Integrated Strategy.