​For Vincentia Makoe, the past year has demonstrated the transformational power of sobriety. From suffering addiction to embracing a life of purpose and clarity, her story is a beacon of hope for anybody struggling to break free. This is the narrative of her first year sober, a year marked by raw vulnerability, unyielding perseverance, and the rediscovery of a self she believed was lost for good.
Vincentia Makoe is a 32-year-old mother of two residing in Bophelong. After seven years of addiction to crystal meth, she spent three months in rehabilitation and has now been sober for over a year. The turning point came when her youngest child, only three years old, could differentiate the types of drugs Vincentia was using and even demonstrated how to smoke them. "That is when it dawned on me that I had exposed my children to my bad habits," she recounts. "If I didn't change my ways, they could end up like me at a very young age or be taken away."
Driven by the desire to provide a stable home for her children and prevent their removal by Social Workers, Vincentia sought help through Social Development, which led her to the Nigel Rehabilitation Center in Ekurhuleni. There, she embarked on a journey to reclaim her life and health.
Today, Vincentia is a student at Dirang Ka Kagiso Skills Development centre in Bophelong, studying a Hair and Beauty course that covers hair, nails, massage, and feet treatment. "My life has completely changed since I have sobered up," she shares. "I no longer hang with the same crowd I used to. I am in school now, building towards a sustainable future with the skills the center is equipping me with." Upon finishing her studies, she plans to open a salon in her neighborhood, offering hair and nail services, utilizing the starter pack kit she will receive upon graduation.
 
With gratitude, Vincentia acknowledges the support she has received: "I would like to thank Social Development for giving me a second chance to be a better mother to my children and equipping me with skills to make an honest living."