29/07/2018
WERE DO WE COME FROM AND WHERE ARE WE GOING
Drug-Free World Africa Coordinator Honoured at South African Men of the Year Awards Celebration in 2015. As the driving force behind a network of Drug-Free World Africa teams—saturating every segment of South African society with the truth about drugs—Maurithus (Mau) Meiring was recognised in November 28 as a runner-up at the 2015 South African Men of the Year Gala Dinner Awards Ceremony.
"I could have never thought something like this is possible".
Drug-Free World Africa Coordinator Maurithus Meiring was acknowledged as a runner-up at the South African Men of the Year Awards Banquet at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg November 28 for his relentless campaign to reach African youth before the pushers do.
Over the past 5 years, Meiring and his volunteers have distributed over 2 000,000 Drug-Free World booklets, delivered more than 2000 lectures and events and built a Drug Free World Volunteer Network all over South Africa & across Africa to educate young and old about the harmful effects of drugs. They also reach more than 50,000 people with their drug prevention message through social media each month.
Honored by the award, Meiring is well aware that what his group has done so far is nothing short of a miracle “. But it's not enough. Much more work needs to be done to reach more people, and to reach African youth faster,” he said.
“Education is the most effective tool against drugs and substance abuse,” says Meiring.
It was Meiring’s own experience with drugs and drug education that inspired him to take on this issue. Raised in an Afrikaans middle class family, he turned to drugs and alcohol when his parents divorced. He began with alcohol and was soon taking Ecstasy and cocaine. His 15-year battle with alcohol ended the day a friend introduced him to the Drug-Free World campaign with a copy of The Truth About Drugs booklet that spelled out in detail the long-term effects of drug and alcohol abuse. “I quit from one day to the next,” he said.
"We have done more than we could have ever dreamed of, so now we have to dream bigger and reach all of Africa.
Since beginning their drug prevention campaign, Drug-Free World Africa has seen a 7 – 30% plus percent drop in drug-related statistics in the South African provinces of Gauteng, Western Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, Free-State. And in South Africa, where Drug-Free World Africa conducted some 2000 events such as drug education seminar, marches, booklets distribution, lectures, training sessions and community events over the past 5 years, South Africa has seen a national decrease of 2% in 2017 for the first time in 12 years in drug-related crime and DUI arrests. But this is not merely enough. We need to wipe out drug abuse as a whole.
"This is not about being important, this is about saving life's.
"We have saved thousands of life's from preventing then to ever use drugs through educating them and empowering them so that they can make better decisions for their future with the materials from Drug Free World International".
"Together we can create drug-free communities". MM
Now to do even more we need your help...
We need thousands of teams across Africa to get involved, get trained, start up groups and save millions of life's with the truth about drugs. Become a Drug Free World Africa Drug Educator Specialist Volunteer Now and Help us Help you to Clean up your Community or area where you live. Drug does not have a place in our communities anymore. Let's create drug-free communities and ensure that our children and future generations has a future to come too.
All you have to do is send us an inbox message with your Name and the area you are from and we will contact you.
