20 Jan 2014

The director for Jubilant Rehabilitation Centre, 25-year-old, Mr Alpha Jane says the mission of his non-governmental organisation is to transform the community of Thamaga by offering therapy and counselling to alcohol and drug addicts.

He said they did so by conducting talk shows and counselling sessions in schools in Thamaga and had already reached out to 720 students in a period of three years since opening in 2011. In an interview, Mr Jane explained that they also offered programmes on stress and anger management, life skills, advocate for community development and against gender-based violence.

They were, however, currently focusing on rehabilitation of drug and alcohol abusers due to financial constraints. “Jubilant Rehabilitation Centre operates with four volunteers and it is still at an infant stage. So far we have helped up to 15 patients of different age groups and some are volunteers here,” Mr Jane said.

He said they affiliated with the Botswana National Youth Council, which helped them with grants but appealed to business owners and other able donors to help them with funds.

“We are still looking for a plot and more volunteers. We are organizing a bicycle race to raise funds to officially launch our organization,” Mr Jane said. Mr Jane said the organization offices were at the community hall next to the sub-council and that he chose Thamaga because he was born and bred there and  he was aware of most of the challenges that the youth in his village go through.

“Before I became a Christian, I was a drug addict.  I started smoking and drinking at primary school and when the time went on we formed gangs and would go about at night fighting, beating people and stealing,” Mr Jane confessed.

“I finally said enough is enough after I got tired of jail and not being trusted at home. At that time, I even tried committing suicide by pouring five litres of paraffin over my body to set it on fire, and was rescued by a friend.   Basically that’s the results of alcohol and drugs,” Mr Jane revealed.

Mr Jane encouraged the youth saying that, failing Junior Certificate was not the end of life and that they should be involved in poverty eradication programmes to upgrade their standard of living. ENDS