EAST LONDON- Tshawekazi Events Media and Consulting in partnership with Eastern Cape Department of Education(EC DoE) and Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality(BCMM) officially launched the ‘Never Again‘ campaign at the Orient Theatre in East London on 29 November 2024. This initiative aims to raise awareness and caution against the growing concern of underage drinking among adolescents and young people in the province.
Speaking at the launch, Co-Founder of Tshawekazi Events Media and Consulting Linda Tom shared her motivation for starting the ‘Never Again‘ campaign. “I was deeply troubled by the senseless loss of young lives, particularly the tragic incident at Enyobeni in June 2022 what I saw how substance abuse was destroying the future of our youth and I knew I had to act. We must work together to protect our children and ensure they have a bright future ahead of them,” Tom explained.
On this campaign, there will be 21 learners divided into three groups presenting their perspectives on the theme ‘Never Again‘. The groups will focus on honoring lives lost to substance abuse, addressing gender-based violence and empowering young people to make positive choices.
Director of School Health, Safety and Learner Enrichment at the EC DoE Pam Gxuluwe emphasized the department’s commitment in addressing the scourge of substance abuse among learners. “We are here to support and put an end to the devastating trend of substance abuse that is claiming the lives of our children. As the theme ‘Never Again‘ suggests, we urge our learners to reject substance abuse and make positive choices that will ensure their bright future,” Gxuluwe said.
Furthermore a learner from Uviwe Senior Secondary School in East London Amphiwe Miya, shared her concerns about the pressure to engage in substance abuse. “As school children, we should not be under constant pressure to indulge in substance abuse and participate in pens down activities,” Miya said.
Another learner at Archie Velile Senior Secondary School in Dimbaza Lubambo Ngqeza expressed his concerns about the devastating impact of substance abuse on the communities,”Many parents here have spoken about losing their children to substance abuse and as school children we must take this as a warning sign that engaging in substance abuse is extremely dangerous,” Ngqeza said.
In the Head of Health, Public Safety and Emergency Services at BCMM Cllr Amanda Mnyute has endorsed the ‘Pens Down, Never Again‘ campaign. “We care about our children’s well-being and urge parents to partner with us in combating social ills like the pens down phenomenon,” Mnyute said.
The ‘Never Again‘ campaign has been launched to combat underage drinking and substance abuse among adolescents and young people with a focus on education, awareness and empowerment.
Photograph: Nontando Mbonwa
