My name is Eliasi Batista Goido. I was addicted to drugs about 18 years ago. In my search for a good life, I met with bad friends who convinced me to get into drugs. So, I started using cannabis and at the end of the day using drugs. Getting into drugs, led to the loss of many things, firstly business capital, relationships and finally I found myself very sick. I contacted Tuberculosis and I don’t remember well because when you use drugs, you live in groups and we share many things such as needles, marijuana, cigarettes, accommodation and even the environment itself is very bad not in the house. After that, I met with community health Volunteers (CHV) from the TOKKIUKI organization, who advised me and start using methadone. They advised me well and have also helped me with many things, for which I am still very grateful for getting me off drugs and teaching me many things. After meeting TOKKIUKI and being educated, I decided to become a Community Health Volunteer to educate about the issues of Tuberculosis, Drugs and many others. So, I go to different shelters here in Dar es Salaam to provide education about Tuberculosis take samples from the clients and send them to the health facilities for further investigation. So far, I have notified so many Tuberculosis patients that I cannot remember in number. Apart from this voluntary work, I sew shoes on the street to earn a daily income. I want to thank TOKKIUKI for saving me from drugs and also giving me the knowledge to help other people in the community so that they don’t face the challenges that I have experienced in my life.
Source: Hamida Mikidadi