Learners at Prince George Primary School in Lavender Hill received vital lessons on the dangers of drug abuse and gangsterism at a drug-prevention programme held on Friday 3 June.
Programme facilitator Mark Nicholson from Rise Above Development (RAD) also highlighted sexual abuse and how children can report abuse.
“Today’s programme was about them, how amazing they are and their identity because every child has the right to an identity.
“It is their space and they need to protect their space, especially if parents are not around. Some of our girls are being sexually abused, they come to school and they are too scared to speak. I’m just reminding them, if they do not want to speak to teachers, they are most welcome to speak to me but they should be highlighting it with the teachers so that a referral can be done.”
Nicholson said child abuse and rape should be talked about throughout the year and not only during National Child Protection week (celebrated between Sunday 29 May and Sunday 5 June).
“Our child protection week is very important, not only this week but also all days. We need to keep speaking to the children about sexual abuse, rape of children, especially our girl children and how they need to protect themselves.”
The drug-prevention programme has been rolled out at all primary schools in Lavender Hill.
“We talk to them about gangs and violence and not to join gangs or do drugs. It is becoming a trend that more of our younger children, ever since dagga has been legalised, are smoking cigarettes and dagga and that obviously leads to all kind of drugs.”
While the programme has focused mainly on primary school learners to have a greater impact, it will soon be rolled out to high schools in Lavender Hill.
“If we make an impact at a younger age then they won’t go on to become addicted to drugs or join gangs, or to become abused by adults because now they’ve learnt what it is that they need to do. This is more of a preventative measure.
“We are looking at going into high schools, once we have been to all the primary schools in the area, there is only one primary school left. In the high schools we actually really need to speak to our girl children more because of the fact that there are now certain drugs being used to sexually abuse our girls and they don’t even know about it.”
Johnny Eyssen (35), who grew up in Oudtshoorn, is currently out on parole after serving a 17-year prison sentence for murder.
He shared his experiences with the learners in the hope that they would not make the same mistakes. “As an ex-gang member and ex-prison gang member I want children to be aware and not involve themselves in gangs. It’s important because it is their future and they can end up in the wrong places just to find out at a later stage that they made a mistake and then sit with a criminal record like me.
“I’ve lost my parents while in prison, not all of us survive this, some of my friends died. Some I buried in prison and others were buried out of prison. The trauma that I carry and survived is something they might not survive.”
After six years of being drug free and out on parole, Eyssen says it is all about having the right attitude in life.
“I’m six years clean and on parole working with the parole officers at the Department of Correctional Services. Having the right attitude and right mindset will determine our character and where we end up in life at the end of the day.”
