An article in The Star about two Eldorado Park youths who turned their backs on a life of drugs and crime has caught the attention of a local television broadcaster.
Producer Nombuso Mahlangu of the SABC show Bophelong was so touched by the stories of Delano Ayer, 26, and Dilon Areke, 18, that she decided to produce an episode on the older of the two.
“What caught me was that he was a drug user for almost 10 years and he decided to stop using and he’s been clean for two years now.
“The fact that he mentors other kids, I like that. Our programme focuses on inspiring stories of people… who are making a difference through their own experiences,” she said.
Delano and Dilon’s mentor, Samantha Toweel-Moore, said it had been a painful experience for the two youths to share such personal details with The Star.
“But at the same time (it brought) an inner peace that comes with knowing that you have moved from that space.
“Our boys feel like champions, because although they seem so insignificant and so far out in this world (and) like no one knows of them or cares for them, they’re starting to see that it actually does count to make a change (and that) people do acknowledge and recognise that.
“That’s something foreign to them, because only drug dealers get acknowledged in their communities,” she added.
Toweel-Moore is the founder and mentor at the Growing Champions leadership and football development programme.
Many parents had contacted her since the article was published earlier this month, asking for help.
“They’re saying things like ‘my child has been a drug addict for 16 years, I’m a pensioner, I can’t do this anymore, please help me’. Lots of very sad stories are coming out. It’s given a sense of hope,” she said.
Someone else who was touched by the story of the young men was Keith Bingle, who told The Star that their journeys rang true to his own life in some ways.
“I think what inspired me about these two boys, was that they made up their minds that no one else determined their future for them,” he said.
“This is something one cannot do on your own. You need someone to support you.”
Filming started on Youth Day. The programme will be aired on SABC’s news channel on July 4 at 5.30pm.
The Star