“Determination on the streets is quite important since being clean on the streets is one of the most difficult things to do,” says our fieldworker, Tasneem Hoosain-Fielies, with great pride, as she reflects on *Steve’s journey to sobriety at the age of 26.
His life, like many of our clients’, has not been easy. Drugs became his comforter of choice, which soon turned into an addiction that helped numb him to his experiences on the streets. However, this changed when he reconnected with the mother of one of his children, thanks to the intervention services and support received at The Humanity Hub.
*Steve has now been clean for 8 weeks! An enormous feat given that he still lives on the streets, where drugs are easily accessible and a popular coping mechanism. His journey is only starting now, and we know, without a doubt, that the road to sobriety is paved with many challenges, and things will get a lot harder before they get easier.
Tasneem: “I am so proud of him, choosing to reach out for help, and opening up – slowly removing his armour as he allows himself to process the life that led to the streets.”
Sobriety is a daily choice. One that requires access to support in the form of someone to listen to your story and help you process, while you fight the many demons that plague your mind. Having a mental health condition, *Steve has added challenges, but we believe that given the right support, he can overcome the shadows of his past and look towards a dignified future.
The Humanity Hub has become the safe space for *Steve, a place where he can be, a place where he is heard, seen – and acknowledged as a person.
*not his real name