Community wellness in the sights of Freddy Trout's new non-profit organisation

GEORGE NEWS - Community Wellness Project (CWP), a new non-profit organisation launched at the George Museum on Thursday 28 March, will be working to help people - especially the youth - move towards better health.

In his speech, CWP's founder Freddy Trout said there is a dire need for awareness and prevention among the youth around HIV, TB, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), gender-based violence (GBV) and emotional well-being.

"Learners are going to be sexually active. In high schools almost every child is sexually active. We might as well teach them how to do it safely.

"More teenage pregnancies are reported and most pregnant girls do not return to school after giving birth."

Trout said GBV is witnessed already at primary school level. "Boys have no respect for girls anymore and we want to change that.

We have to start to actively address these issues. We want every community to be healthy and flourish and we aim to promote that through programmes at places of learning, which include schools and universities."

CWP's programmes will at first be launched in "hotspot" areas, but the aim is to eventually reach out to all communities. Their long-term vision is furthermore to open an accessible health testing site in the community that youngsters will not be shy to visit.

Trout, who also founded People Against Substance Abuse (Pasa) about two decades ago, said his brother and partner in Pasa, Wayne Windvoël, will be continuing to run anti-drug abuse programmes in schools.

"CWP will work in partnership with Pasa, since GBV is often based in substance abuse and we have to focus on the root causes of the violence. I will continue with the drug addiction counselling," said Trout.

He has undergone intensive training in HIV prevention and testing with Nacosa (Networking HIV and Aids Community of Southern Africa) and is currently enrolled for further training in management with the organisation.

Choice Somagaca, a board member of CWP, shared her experience of living with HIV for the past 22 years. She was 21 when she discovered her positive status.

After an initial dark and depressing period of self-hate and unforgiveness of the person who infected her, she realised that she could forgive and live a full life. She has since grabbed the opportunities that life throws at her with both hands.

Contact CWP by phoning Freddy on 071 090 4450 or at communitywellnesseden@gmail.com.

Read a previous article: New NPO aims for community wellness.

The board members of Community Wellness Project are, from left: Wayne Windvoël, Wilmy Baartman-Blaauw, Madeleine Ebersohn, Freddy Trout and Choice Somagaca.

Bernadette Liedeman tells the audience more about her journey of discovering a hidden talent for painting over the past few years. She donated three of her works to be sold by auction in aid of CWP.