Questions/Answers
Question 1
Please provide a brief summary of the initiative including the problems/challenges it addressed and the solutions that the initiative introduced (300 words maximum)
The cost and consequences of alcoholism and drug dependence place an enormous burden on our society. As the nation’s number one health problem, addiction strains the economy, the health care system, the criminal justice system, and threatens job security, public safety, marital and family life.
The drugs and substance addiction is across all societal boundaries, affects however society has increasingly recognize the addiction as a disease ,a disease that can be treated and cured through awareness and educational campaigned with the aim of empowering our communities with information related to drugs and substance abuse. Every ethnic groups, both genders, and people in every tax bracket.
Nkangala district municipality is conducting the awareness campaigns both in urban and rural communities, this programs are done in partnership with other stakeholders having interest in fighting drugs and substance abuse within the district. This includes department of social development, SANCA and local municipalities within the district municipality. District municipality plays critical role in coordination, funding the above mentioned campaigns and also monitoring of the progress made on the fight against drugs abuse and substance abuse in the communities, this is done through the establishment and ensure functionality of local drugs action campaign structures both urban and rural municipalities. This has also assisted in identification and assessing the severity of the problem which led to the construction of drug rehabilitation center in the district constructed by the department of social development.
a. What are the overall objectives of the initiative?
Please describe the overall objectives of the initiative (200 words maximum)
3.1. Educating the community about of the services available to help those with the problem of substance abuse and drug users about possible cure and help to recover from substance usage.
3.2. Provides with opportunities to reinforce our commitment in addressing and responding to the challenges of substance abuse
3.3. Comprehend why trust is important and how decision about use of controlled and non-controlled substances impact on trust.
3.4. Educated the community on how to avoid risks that exist in their environment as far as drugs abuse in concern.
3.5. A dialogue on the solution to reduce the abuse of alcohol, drugs and substance was attend by many users, which so many of them (young users) indicating the willingness of quite drugs.
b. How does the initiative fit within the selected category?
Please describe how the initiative is linked to the criteria of the category (200 words maximum)
This is one of the initiative which the public sector together with the civic organisation such as SANCA and social development in combating fight against drugs abuse. The Syndrome of drug abuse is the pain in the community as this affects the livelihood and health of the community members. This also contributes to the community crimes social crimes.
This relates as the UN has the goal in fighting the drugs abuse in the society and fight against Social crimes against humanity caused by drug users conducting illegal activities which might includes murdering one other . It also relate to health since drug users don't adhere to the normal diet which becomes a health hazard to them. Other matter Nkangala and social partners also educates the community of the new trends used by the drug users, This includes but not limited to using drugs which includes transfusion of blood amongst users using needles. This is a high health risk as the transfer of HIV related deceases can easily occur.
Question 2
The initiative should improve people’s lives, notably by enhancing the contribution of public services to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the SDGs
a. Please explain how the initiative improves the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
This initiative has produced fruitful interventions which includes the construction of the new rehabilitation and drug treatment centre in our district area of jurisdiction by one of the panters which is Mpumalanga department of social development. This will assist in creating the drug free society as the drug users will be rehabilitated and brought back to the society as the community builders. This will assist the state in
1. Reducing the crime in society that is contributed by drug users.
2. The health status will be improved as we will have the responsible community members.
3. Focus of resources will be redirected from drugs and crime to fight poverty in the society.
Question 3
The initiative must impact positively a group or groups of the population (i.e. children, women, elderly, people with disability, etc) and address a significant issue of public service delivery within the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain how the initiative has addressed a significant issue related to the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
There are other sub-district of Nkangala still having low usage of drugs in their respective areas. This is contained by having the active local drugs action committees and also the contribution of education in our society with relation to the drugs. This includes all government, businesses and also non-profit organization that have interest or are affected by the social ill of drugs. The program has made impact with the birth and linkage of other council programs directly impacting on communities such as
• Moral Regeneration
• District Mayoral Sports Tournament
• Gender based violence.
• District Career Expo's
This programs aimed to facilitate for obtaining the drug free society and crime free society which can also be achieved through all sectors working together with active coordination of the Nkangala District Social Cluster.
b. Please explain how the initiative has impacted positively a group or groups of the population within the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
The initiative contributes to the safety and security of the community members in our region, the fear amongst woman and children from all sorts of abuse goes down. Initiative also contribute to having well focused and educated Youth in our society. An awareness to those who still feels they might be potential drugs users are educated on the negative impacts of drugs. The program through the dialogue with the affected and former users has contributed to the development of new programs that are responding to the needs of the youth such as
• Moral regeneration program
This program is made up of many stakeholders dealing with societal issues, Those already affected by the drugs and victims of drugs users are also part with the view to restore the moral and rebuild the ego of those who need to change and accepted by the community. The program entails the rehabilitated sharing the life experiences with the affected.
• District Mayoral Sports Tournament
The program is hosted annually with the aim of promoting social cohesion amongst the youth in the society. This also assist in taking the youth out of negativity of life as it pushes for participation in Sports by the youth and youth structures, The youth participates in sports in the respective municipalities and then all municipalities come together and participates in the sports.
Question 4
The initiative must present an innovative idea, a distinctively new approach, or a unique policy or approach implemented in order to realize the SDGs in the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain in which way the initiative is innovative in the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
The initiative is mainly driven by the partnership with other government sectors, however other interrelated programs are only done by the Nkangala District responding to the challenges that are identified in the society within Nkangala Area of Jurisdiction. The municipality has customized the program according to the needs of our communities.
Question 4b
b. Please describe if the innovation is original or if it is an adaptation from other contexts (If it is known)? (200 words maximum)
The program is the initiative from the Nkangala District Municipality together with the sector department dealing with the drugs and substance abuse. The program is the district initiative however it also includes other programs that where ongoing run around the country in dealing with the drugs and substance abuse campaigns.
Question 4c
c. What resources (i.e. financial, human , material or other resources, etc) were used to implement the initiative? (200 words maximum)
The municipality is annually making provision of the budget from its available resources in order to ensure that the program together with the interrelated programs continues and also makes the available the budget for other related programs. Currently there are monitoring tools being developed to check the impact made by the programs to the community. In the last financial year the municipality has consistency providing the awareness campaigns to the affected youth and also those who are intending to get into the drugs and substance abuse.
The officials from Nkangala District Municipality, Local Municipalities within the Nkangala District, Social Development and SANCA are always available to provide the professional advice and assistance. This demonstrate the human resources that are placed in dealing with these matter as a priority.
Question 5
The initiative should be adaptable to other contexts (e.g. other cities, countries or regions). There may already be evidence that it has inspired similar innovations in other public-sector institutions within a given country, region or at the global level.
a. Has the initiative been transferred to other contexts?
No
The programme can be transferred to the areas where the drugs and substance abuse is eminent and they are also affected. It also require the integrated intervention from all the sector department across the government in dealing with the above mentioned drugs.
Question 6
The initiative should be able to be sustained over a significant period of time.
a. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable (covering the social, economic and environmental aspects) (300 words maximum)
The municipality has consistently budgeting annually for the programme to ensure sustainability and proper implementation of the program. This will happen in the next coming years.
Since there are communities within the district and also other social partners that are affected by the drugs and substance abuse, this program will continuously be sustainable until there are no drug users in the society. The government always has the commitment in dealing with the challenges that are affecting the country at large. And this is one of the leading matters amongst youth. It has also shown with the development of the new rehabilitation centre constructed by our social partner, The district will always ensure that this social ill needs to come to an end.
b. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable in terms of durability in time (300 words maximum)
N/A
Question 7
The initiative should have gone through a formal evaluation, showing some evidence of impact on improving people’s lives.
a. Has the initiative been formally evaluated?
No
Question 8
The initiative must demonstrate that it has engaged various actors such as from other institutions, civil society, or the private sector, when possible.
a. The 2030 Development Agenda puts emphasis on collaboration, engagement, coordination, partnerships, and inclusion. Please describe what stakeholders were engaged in designing, implementing and evaluating the initiative. Please also highlight their roles and contributions (300 words maximum)
The programme is conducted with the involvement and support from different stakeholders. Some of the stakeholders who are continuously contributing the programs are as follows
- Love Live
Love life play a critical role in leading the education and shaking up in giving education to the youth and also provide support in the implementation of the programme
-SANCA
SANCA provide materials and awareness to the drug users and also provides the assistance and rehabilitation of the youth.
-Mpumalanga department of social Development
Provides the strategic support and also construction of the rehabilitation centres in the province
-South African Police Services
Providing security to the communities and also arrest those selling drugs to the communities.
-Department of Health
Provides the health facilities to those who are affected and those who are ill.
-Business society
-Other civil society
Question 9
a. Please describe the key lessons learned, and any view you have on how to further improve the initiative (200 words maximum)
The lesson learned from that theexcess of drugs and substance abuse are caused by the situational challenges which the youth are faces with. Which includes the unavailability of sports activities, work opportunities ect. Government should placed a special focus on the development of youth to ensure the running active response to community needs that might cause youth to derail from the countries direction.