WINDHOEK– A University of Namibia (Unam) social work student attached as a facilitator with the Eldorado Secondary School’s Teenagers Against Drugs, Alcohol and HIV (TADAH) group, has embarked on an awareness programme on drugs, alcohol, teenage pregnancy and HIV at the school.
Unam provides social work students with an opportunity to be trained in community work while under the supervision of social work lecturers. As an outreach programme they plan and implement an awareness programme on drugs, alcohol, teenage pregnancy and HIV which also emphasises male circumcision as one of the prevention strategies.
Irene Hoës, one of the facilitators says: “We try to bring in people who work with this everyday to make sure they give the correct information. We invite Deputy Commissioner Hermie van Zyl and Detective Basson from the Drug Unit, Frieda Katuta from the Ministry of Health and Social Service (MOHSS), Lyndon van Wyk, a former drug and alcohol addict, and currently a student at Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary (NET) as future pastor, to address the whole school community of Eldorado School.”
Through TADAH programmes teenagers are encouraged to find out about the dangers of substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and HIV and to share this information with their peers. TADAH is the only main substance abuse prevention activity of the Drug Awareness Group (DAG), which was established in 1992 in Namibia. The target group is secondary school learners and Eldorado is one of the targeted schools in the Khomas region. TADAH promotes anti-drug messages within the school community.
Speaking at the awareness day Katuta warned learners on HIV emphasising male circumcision as one of the prevention strategies for male partners. She said while circumcised one must still use protection. Commissioner Basson addressed the learners on alcohol and drug abuse saying “dagga” and mandrax were used before independence, and nowadays Namibia, she is also a consuming nation.“Hubbly bubbly is a gateway instrument to people who will be hooked to drugs and they also put in alcohol,” he warned. He added that “dagga” is most commonly used in Namibia, and this is not good for the health of the people as drugs can affect their brain, heart and kidneys, to mention only some.
The Eldorado school TADAH group learners presented poems related to substance abuse at an awareness day recently at the Eldorado school.
By Sabina Elago