​27-year-old Luthando Zulu is a recovering substance abuser and homeless person. Zulu's turning point came after the death of his grandmother, who was the family's matriarch and a pillar of support.
While Struggling with the loss of his grandmother, family conflicts erupted thus resulting in Zulu resorting to drugs as a coping mechanism and this led to him spiraling into a destructive cycle of addiction, theft and arrests.
Zulu's life took a positive turn when he encountered Nolan from Lesedi Community Center (LCC), a non-profit organisation funded by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, while he was living on the streets. Initially Zulu resisted any form of assistance, but later embraced the opportunity for change and enrolled at Lesedi Community Center (LCC) and was registered with the South African National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence (SANCA) for rehabilitation.
Through determination and a mindset shift, Zulu achieved three weeks of sobriety even before attending rehab and through participating in LCC's skills development programmes, Zulu secured employment at their toilet paper factory, a testament to his commitment to rebuilding his life.
Zulu expressed a desire to complete his matric and pursue entrepreneurship in logistics. He said it is important to set goals and redirect energy toward positive outlets like music.
Lesedi Community Center, located in Loveday Heidelberg and funded by GDSD, serves as a homeless shelter offering various programs such as group sessions, counseling, life skills, a toilet paper factory, and a soap kitchen feeding 200-500 people daily. Zulu's journey exemplifies the transformative impact of such initiatives in helping individuals overcome homelessness and addiction, fostering hope for a better future.
Homelessness, substance abuse, skills development and food security are the elevated priorities of the Department. We are proud of you bab' Zulu, we are working hard to have many good stories of transformation, hope and betterment such as yours.