Lesego Tau Foundation hosts drug prevention camp for Johannesburg youth
Families and teenagers found hope when a foundation hosted a three-day detox camp to curb early drug experimentation and prevent addiction.
The Lesego Tau Education Foundation, a trusted and recognised partner of the Gauteng Premier’s office, the CoJ, and the Johannesburg West District Education Department, held a three-day drug detox camp at the Manie Mulder Adventure Centre.
The camp gave hope to families and young people fighting early drug experimentation and is part of a broader strategy to curb the rising tide of youth drug use before it becomes full-blown addiction.
The camp targeted teenagers who had started experimenting with illicit substances but were not yet addicts, a critical stage when change is still possible.
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The message at the camp was clear: Catch it early, save their future, reminding all that what might begin as a casual smoke at a party or out of curiosity with friends can quickly spiral into addiction, self-destruction and lost potential.
A life coach at the foundation, Thabang Mohau, said the young people at the camp were not criminals, just good kids who made bad choices or succumbed to peer pressure.
“This camp showed them that there is still time to turn back. Watching them open up and commit to change was powerful. Prevention is much easier than trying to fix a life already broken by addiction,” said Mohau.
The programme was carefully structured to tackle the issue from all sides, offering medical detox assessments, behavioural therapy with trauma-informed counselling, spiritual and moral rebuilding, health and nutrition with mindfulness activities, substance education and peer pressure workshops and a three-month aftercare plan with weekly check-ins to support progress.
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“I used to think smoking was fun. I did not know it could lead to bigger problems. After this camp, I realised I was already starting to change in a bad way.
“I feel clean now and ready to focus on my schoolwork. My parents are happy I came here, and I am, too. I feel like I got a second chance,” said participant Thandeka Ngwenya.
The foundation plans to expand this initiative to all seven regions of Johannesburg, creating more safe spaces where early intervention can stop addiction before it starts. It urges parents, teachers and community leaders to take action early, as waiting too long could cost a child their future.
