HELP IS AT ADDICTS FINGERTIPS

USING TECHNOLOGY TO GET DRUG-FREE

The age of technology has change the way we do many things, and with the ever increasing techno gadgets available, connecting with someone thousands of kilometers away is as simple as a click of a button.

Knowing the first hand the benefits of technology, an information technology (IT) lecture decided to base his PHD thesis on how IT can help people kick their drug habit.

Marlon Parker, from Silvertown, is not only doing his research on paper he has already implemented a programme at a nonprofit, drug counseling organization.

With many young people communicating via MXit, he thought it would be the ideal medium to use to reach them. "Research found that there is an increase in mobile instant messaging (MIM) among teenagers in South Africa, many of whom are using MXit as their primary tool for messaging. Collaborating with a Bridgetown non-profit organisation (NPO), and Impact Direct Ministries (IDM), we started a projest to provide a platform on MXit to offer counmselling, advice and frequestly asked questions for people impacted by drug and substance abuse.

"The main objecdtive wat to meet the youth on a platform that they are comfortable with as a first point of contact, where they can express themselves, and receive counselling or advice on the issue of drug and substance abuse," Mr Parker said.

He added: "The MXit projest is just one of the projects we run.

A STORY FROM THE LOCAL NEWS PAPER (ATHLONE NEWS) WEDNESDAY AUGUST 20 2008