What is DAS?

The increase of gang and drug activity on the Cape Flats in the Western Cape is causing tension within communities . These activities have a negative impact on citizens in these communities and contribute to a sense of helplessness. A community with tension can be described as “a community where the well being of its citizens is threatened”. Reconstruction or rehabilitation of ex-drug addicts are challenging due to communities with tension not being able to empower these citizens or not willing to be rehabilitated. This presents the opportunity for the use of technology as part of the reconstructing of these citizens.

Research has found that there is an increase in mobile instant messaging (MIM) amongst teenagers in South Africa . Many of whom are using MXit, a popular South African (MIM), as their primary tool for messaging . Collaborating with a local NPO, Impact Direct (041-188-NPO), we started a project to provide a platform on a mobile platform to offer advice, support and frequently asked questions (FAQs) for people impacted by drug and substance abuse. The main objective was to meet the youth on a platform that they are comfortable with as a first point of contact where they can express themselves, receive support and advice on the issue of drug and substance abuse.

We decided to equip ex-drug addicts with technology skills and under the supervision of Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and Impact Direct these reconstructed ex-drug addicts are in a position to communicate with the contacts using mobile technology giving them real answers from their own personal life experiences. This was the birth of Drug Advice Support (DAS). Not only will support be offered to substance abusers but also families, people affected by the problem. The Drug Advice Support (DAS) service also connects the contact with personal support organisations, other drug rehabilitation facilities in the local area where the contact is located when the person is ready for face to face counselling and support. To access the DAS service the user has to add our contact to their mobile MIM profile.

Click here to add DAS to MXit

50 subscribers

I can't believe that after a few weeks of introducing the MXit counselling for substance abuse we already reached 50 subscribers. It is great to see how people are being reached at a place where they feel comfortable. This for many people using the service will be the first step to reconstruction.

Drug Counselling introduced to class at high school

So after a month of exams and keeping warm during the cold winter in Cape Town 2 of the Impact Team, Brent Williams and Clinton Liederman were trained to do the counselling using MXit. They are very excited about the prospects and even introduced the concept to a class at a local high school. Now to see if any of the scholars would respond or if the service would be used.

To add us on your MXit you can do the following:

1) Go to contacts
2) Add contact
3) Go to Jabber or Google Talk (depending on your version of MXit)
4) Jabber or Google Talk ID: idmtalk@gmail.com
Nickname: Impact
5) Accept contact

This service runs Tuesdays and Thursdays between 3 and 5pm. Join us as we reconstruct our communities.

Research Day Presentation and MXit

Today we had the opportunity to introduce the project and the work we are doing to the rest of the researchers at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. We got a presentation slot and Brent Williams and Bradley Naidoo joined me as guest speakers. The response was overwhelming and so much more we can do. Also got feedback from the conference organisers for the WWW-ZA 2008 conference that 4 of our research papers with 4th year students were accepted for the conference. Now to do the final drafts of our papers.

MXit testing is still continuing and I've managed to get 4 other users on the system to test it. We will be taking it to a school shortly. The idea is to have the MXit drug counselling service introduced to schools throughout the Western Cape.

YouTube

Today we looked at posting videos on YouTube and how this can be used as part of a blog. This was a workshop that we had alot of engagement from the Impact Team. They we able to record video clips with their mobile phones and upload it to YouTube.

Here is one of the stories of the Impact Team:

Testing Testing

This month was quiet with the Impact Team as the University had their Easter break. It also meant that we had less posts on the reconstructed blog due to the team not always having access to the internet. This is a barrier that they managed to overcome during this time using their mobile phones connecting to the web using GPRS technology. They began to blog and access Facebook this month using their mobile phones. This is incredible growth seeing that they were not taught this in any of our workshops.

For me personally was a time of testing the MXit platform with various jabber Instant Messaging (IM) applications. Eventually decided to use Google Talk to connect to MXit. The initial testing went well but all I have thusfar is one mobile to one pc. So have to get someone else to log in order to do some more testing.