A group of women were reminded of their value and uniqueness during a mental health workshop held at the Drop-in Centre at TB HIV Care in the City Centre on Friday 19 August.
The event was organised by the South African Network of People Who Use Drugs (SANPUD) in conjunction with the TB HIV Care to provide women who use drugs with mental health skills to rebuild their lives.
SANPUD is a non-profit organisation that aims to defend the rights of people who use drugs.
Nathalie Jacobs, community officer for SANPUD, says Friday’s event focused on women who suffer gender-based violence (GBV), but are not in a position to escape because of their use of drugs among others.
The group consisted of about 10 women who use drugs, who are sex workers and women from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and others (LGBTQI+) community.
Jacobs says people who use drugs face health and criminal consequences, which stops them from seeking help. She says the services provided for them at the Drop-in Centre focus on harm reduction, decreasing the adverse effects on their health and lives because of their use of drugs.
Jacobs says the theme for the day was beautiful inside and out.
“I want women, especially women who use drugs to feel that they are beautiful, unique and nobody can tell them differently. I want to boost their confidence, because once you feel beautiful your mental health also improves, so to speak. We did a make-up session to uplift them.”
Jacobs explains that she too is a recovered drug user.
“I started using drugs at the age of 27 because I lost my mother. She was my whole world. I met this guy and he introduced me to crystal meth. I started off only using it over the weekend, then I used during the week and after that it became part of my daily routine. I was in an abusive relationship and was almost killed.”
She adds: “I can relate to these women because I know what they feel. I know what they are going through because I went through similar things. Society use very rude names for women who are on drugs or who are sex workers. They are actually defaming the character of women.”
Charne Roberts, National Advocacy and Regional Coordinator for SANPUD, says prior to the workshop the women went for several female health checks.
“We first saw to the ladies physically, they went for cervical checkups and breast examinations, and we also had a clinical package event for female consultations which on consisted of pap smears, HIV and STI testings.”
Jacobs says it is the circumstances that led them to their life choices.
“If you listen to their stories, you will hear that they didn’t wake up one morning and say, ‘I want to become a drug addict or a sex worker’ it’s a situation that they got themselves in that made them choose a wrong path.”
Naeela Boonzaaier is a drug user and explains that she endures challenges daily. The mother of two says she is grateful for all she’s learnt at the programme.
“I learnt to be myself, I think a lot of the time I think more about other people than I do about myself. I don’t think I will forget myself again. It’s good to know there are people around that can help me.”
Berenice Petersen says she got acquainted with the programme a while ago and explains that they have become like a family to her.
“I have learnt about mental health and that there are places available to help. They have a social worker here that I can speak to whenever I feel the need to.”
Aquilla Gantsho, is a transgender woman, who says is often stigmatised by society.
“I have resonated a lot with what I was thought here so now I have other ways of how to help myself and how to look at myself and know that I am not alone. As a transgender woman, who is homeless, a sex worker and a drug user, I have faced stigma, brutality and harassment from the community, police and society.”
Gantsho says the programme has been beneficial to her.
“I have learnt about my mental health and how to take care of myself. I am grateful that I have found a place where I can find help with mental health.”
“I just want every woman to feel that they are beautiful and that they are unique and don’t listen to what anyone says about you, because you are your own person. The values and qualities that you have make you unique,” concludes Jacobs.
