Man hopes to open safe haven for recovering drug addicts and youth

GROWING up in Wentworth was no easy journey for Sheldon Francis. At a young age, he turned to gangsterism and selling drugs until he decided to turn his life around.

And now, his goal is to help others, especially the youth and drug addicts to take back their lives.

Francis, 39, the founder of the Children Have a Dream (Chad), a foundation, is now hoping to open a safe haven.

“I grew up without my parents, and that caused me to be angry and bitter, which led me to make a lot of bad decisions including joining a gang and selling drugs to be accepted.

“But, my goal in life now is to mentor youth to not to make some of the decisions I did. I have run youth programmes and held motivational talks in hundreds of primary and high schools throughout the province and impacted thousands of youth,” he said.

Francis, a youth counselor, said he started Chad in 2013.

“The foundation helps the youth to identify their potential and to teach them prevention programmes against gangsterism, drug abuse, and teenage pregnancy. We also have a rehabilitation centre and offer counselling,” he said.

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Francis said his goal is to open a safe haven by the start of the new year.

“When you look at what is happening in society now, it is alarming. Our youth in Wentworth, Newlands East, Sydenham, and Mariannridge, are dying every day to violence. They are dropping out of school and joining gangs.

“The safe haven will house the boys that have been suspended from high school. Throwing them out of school because of bad behaviour, will only lead them to join a gang and kill other youth or be killed. The safe place will help mentor and grow these young boys into becoming responsible men.

“Further to this, who better to help them than those that have been down that road? The safe haven will be a place where recovering addicts can come after they completed their programme at the rehabilitation centre and stay in the home and be mentors.

“It must be said that 90% of recovering addicts relapse because after the rehabilitation centre as they return to the normal world with tests and trials and it’s easier for them to fall. They will be given the opportunity to be mentors and as much as they will be encouraging the youth it will also help them stay clean through mentoring and being role models,” he said.

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Francis said the safe haven will cater for men and boys from Wentworth, Newlands East, Sydenham, and Mariannridge.

“However, to get started we need at least 20 committed sponsors to assist with a monthly fee. We will be able to afford the rent for a house, buy groceries, pay the utility bills and for petrol. We are hoping to open our doors by January, but first, we need to find sponsors then we can get a house and furnish it.

“Every project or programme we do is done by faith. Now, all our faith is in God and we trust in him because this vision was given by him,” he said.

For more information on how you can assist, contact Francis on 067 127 0286.

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