PUPILS TO TAKE TO CITY STREETS TO SPREAD DRUG ABUSE MESSAGE

SCHOOL pupils will be demonstrating in the city centre today as part
of the PeaceJam Foundation's drug awareness workshop finale.

The non-profit NGO began a two-day drug awareness workshop for 50 Cape
Town pupils yesterday.

The teenagers came from different areas including Khayelitsha,
Gugulethu, Athlone and Maitland. The facilitators of the workshops are
volunteers who have been trained in drug and substance abuse
counselling and are part of the PeaceJam Foundation.

PeaceJam Foundation spokesman Marshall Dean Schippers said 10 schools
were taking part in the workshops which aimed to educate them about
the consequences of using drugs and how to identify addiction in a
family member or close friend.

Most of the pupils were involved with their schools' peace clubs and
had been affected by some form of drug or substance abuse, he said.

"Some kids who come from dysfunctional backgrounds suffer from anger
and rage. The peace clubs aim to find new avenues for peace,"
Schippers said.

More than 60 pupils are expected to take to the streets of the city
centre today to promote public awareness about drug abuse.

The protest starts at 1pm at the City Hall, moves along Darling Street
and ends at the Cape Town station.

"The kids will have banners declaring 'drug abuse equals death and
non-abuse equals life'. They will have their faces painted and will be
dressed in different costumes. We want the walk to be serious, but
also fun," Schippers said.

For more information call the PeaceJam Foundation on 021 696 8974.