A haven with a new twist is making a major difference in the lives of drug users in central Pretoria.
The Step Up Project sought to help addicts use drugs safely, said human rights manager Connie van Staden.
“We assist them in safe usage and provide intervention so that they know how to use safely.”
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Apart from these “harm reduction services”, the NGO also offered drug users food and amenities.
The ultimate objective was to reintegrate current and former users back into society.
“We create a safe space for people who use drugs by offering them food, a shower, internet usage as well as harm reduction services,” said Van Staden.
“By harm reduction services we mean sterile water, syringes, 28 alcoholic swabs and a pot used to cook drugs.”
Van Staden, who is a recovered heroine user himself, said Step Up was an organisation that helped him kick the habit.
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“Step Up saved my life, they helped me so much,” he said.
“I was a heroine user for 20 years and living in the streets of Pretoria as a homeless person for eight years injecting heroine.”
Step Up is on the same premises as the LGBTI(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) in Pretorius Street in Arcadia.
Step Up Project was started two years ago and had nine former drug users on its staff.
“We don’t decide for the user if they should or shouldn’t use drugs, but we do provide them with sterile needles,” said Van Staden.
“Through this programme, instead of a drug user using the same needles, he or she are provided with new needles to inject themselves.”
In this way, infections and the spread of bacteria among users were being limited to the minimum.
Van Staden was sharply critical of reports on the controversial “Bluetooth” phenomena.
This is a practice where a drug user injects himself with the blood of another who is already “high”.
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News reports on this were irresponsible, said Van Staden.
“Journalists who report on the Bluetooth issue are irresponsible, because Bluetooth is 100 percent harmful.”
Outreach workers of the NGO also seeks to provide medication to people who were HIV positive.
Van staden said about 60 percent of drug users were HIV positive.
“Users who are HIV positive adhere to their medication because we personally stay with them to ensure that they drink their ARVs.”
Councillor Wayne Helfrich, who is involved health and social development in Tshwane, said the Step Up project was supported by the mayor Solly Msimanga.
“The war on drugs tells you to stop using drugs, it makes you stop and leaves you to your own devices,” said Helfrich.
“Harm reduction meets users halfway by providing them with a shower, food and skills so that they can be reintegrated back into society,” said Helfrich.
He said the initiative also enjoyed the support of the University of Pretoria.
Van Staden said a medical doctor, a social worker and a clinical associate visited Step Up weekly.
Drug users visited Step Up’s drop off centre on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, he said.
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