​On Saturday, 19 November 2022, Sedibeng region hosted a screening and intake awareness campaign against substance use at Evaton Mall.
 34-year-old Letlhogonolo Tsoari from Small Farm in Evaton, a recovering service user, shared his recovery path with us during the campaign.
Tsoari said he had been addicted to illegal substance for 11 years and had made the decision to stop after seeing the detrimental effects that drugs have on both him personally and the people close to him. He added that in addition to drugs being harmful to those dependent on them, they also abuse the family and friends who are close to them, because to get a quick dose, the user may turn to stealing from others.
"I decided to stop smoking drugs because I understood that I had been abusing them for a very long time and that I would lose my life as a result. I went to the Department of Social Development to ask for help and I was assisted." said Tsoari
 He was admitted at the Life Recovery Centre for rehabilitation and has maintained his sobriety for three years.
He was sent to a Non-Profit Organisation financed by the Department, the Bokamoso Skills and Economic Development Centre after completing his term at the recovery centre, and there he earned an accredited carpentry certification.
 Tsoari said, "Drugs squandered so much of our time; we lack soft skills. But I'm pleased that once we complete the programs, our Social Workers continue to care about us and send us to places where we can gain the training that will help us to find employment".
He warned young people who have not yet experimented with drugs to refrain from doing so at all because they are risky and will occupy a great deal of their time while they are doing nothing productive and may even result in their death.