The sight of nyaope users loitering in the Pretoria CBD and communities may seem like a hopeless situation.
However, former nyaope user Purity Phiri said beating the deadly drug was possible if people remembered that users were still humans, too.
Phiri, 35, from Ga-Rankuwa, north of Pretoria, was speaking after hosting his annual complimentary lunch for users in the community at the local park.
The former user also donated food to nyaope users, saying he had not only brought food and words of motivation to but wanted to push them to consider taking a different path.
Even though he admitted leaving drugs was not easy, he wanted to continue reminding his ‘brothers’ that someone still believed and had hope for them, just as his family had reminded him.
“When you don’t have someone encouraging you to change, it becomes so hard to even consider quitting. That is why I wanted to fill in that gap and show them the possibility of life after drugs.”
Phiri said his journey into drug abuse began when he started smoking cigarettes and marijuana when he was only 13 years old. By the time he was 16, Phiri said he was introduced to nyaope and ended up addicted for more than 13 years.
During that time, he ended up selling water on the streets and picking up bottles to make money to supply his drug habit.
However, one desperate night in 2017, he was not able to make enough money but was still desperate for a fix and ended up breaking into someone’s home. He got arrested shortly after the robbery and spent almost a month incarcerated for housebreaking, and it was at this point he started thinking seriously about what he wanted out of life.
After being isolated for 14 days behind bars, the youngster decided to accept God into his life, something which gave the family hope as he said he grew up in a staunch Christian family.
From the moment he was released from prison, he made a vow to stay away from drugs and turn his life around, something he has managed to maintain for the past five years.
“The day I accepted God into my life, I made the decision that now I want to try doing things in a different way and be different. Addiction is painful, so I told God that I no longer wanted to be addicted to any substance, be it alcohol, cigarettes, weed or anything else.”
For one year after his release, Phiri said he started running and talking to God on a daily basis, telling him who he was and what he wanted to achieve in his life and to make him different.
Afterwards, he opened a small spaza shop while volunteering at various NGOs assisting people addicted to drugs.
“Life after drugs is what scares most of them. I wish the government can help give people skills and a second chance and not punish them for things they did while under the influence.
“For most users who tried to quit, the main problem became that they had nothing to look forward to or skills with which they can develop a sustainable income. They are humans, too and don’t like their state either.”
Pretoria News