THE rising substance abuse among young people gives popular Limpopo TikToker, Appreciate Makhubela (30), many sleepless nights.
Determined to make a difference, Appreciate, who hails from Ha-Kgapane in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality in Limpopo, has taken it upon himself to help kasi youth reclaim their lives and overcome their battle with drugs.
Inspired by renowned South African figures such as DJ Karri, who runs similar community initiatives, Appreciate is on a selfless mission to bring hope and change to the lives of young people in his community.
"Seeing my brothers struggle with drugs keeps me awake at night," he said.
"I realised I had to step up and do something to help them reclaim their lives from substance abuse."
Among those he's helping is Philly Makwela (27), a young man from his hometown who was addicted to glue for 17 years.
"I started my recovery journey in January 2025," said Philly.
"I was tired of smoking these things. The journey is hard and full of criticism, but I'm determined to change my life. It's all thanks to Appreciate and his support."
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Another youth on the road to recovery is Mozamani Sebela (22) from Wisani village in Tzaneen.
Mozamani opened up about his struggles with an addiction to a dangerous drug known as "IV," which derailed his life and caused him to drop out of school.
"I started using this drug three years ago. My friends would smoke around me, and I joined in because I thought it was 'cool'. Before I realised, I was addicted. I dropped out of grade 11 because I lost focus," he shared.
With the support of Appreciate, both young men are gradually finding their footing again.
Appreciate, who doubles as a motivational speaker, said that he plans to launch a formal initiative aimed at helping kasi youth struggling with substance abuse.
"These are my brothers, and I'm grateful to be part of their recovery journey," he said.
"This year, I'm launching an initiative that will help many more people. Full details will be announced soon," he added.
