Youth Who Use Drugs Taking Action Through SANPUD’s Community Networks

As South Africa commemorates 50 years of Youth Day, young people in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape are taking steady steps that strengthen their health, leadership and communities.

​Youth who use drugs are taking steady steps to strengthen their knowledge, build confidence and create opportunities for themselves and others. Across these provinces, members of the community of people who use drugs are demonstrating that lived experience can be a source of leadership, knowledge and action. Whether preparing an international conference abstract, engaging with HIV prevention information or building community initiatives, they continue to create opportunities for themselves and those around them.

A youth forum representative in Durban, participants in Tshwane and Caledon, and a young advocate in Durban each shared moments that show how learning, leadership and community action are taking shape. These moments show young leaders acting with agency and remind us that youth involved in SANPUD’s work continue to move forward even in environments shaped by stigma and limited access to services

Youth Stepping Into Leadership

​A young representative from the Siyasonke Youth Forum met with SANPUD staff to work through the steps of preparing his first INHSU conference abstract. He asked for guidance and spent time reviewing a reference example that helped him understand how to shape his submission. He also set a target date for completing it. The meeting took place online and connected him to national youth structures that support his growth. His work gives him a pathway into global advocacy spaces and strengthens his confidence as a young leader who is ready to speak for himself. SANPUD stayed close to the process, offering support when it was needed and remaining present as he found his own voice.

Young People Learning Together in Tshwane and Caledon

​In Tshwane and Caledon, representatives of youth from the community joined PrEP and PEP information sessions where they asked questions, corrected misconceptions and shared what they already knew. They listened to one another as they made sense of the information and related it to their own experiences. These conversations took place in hotspots and community spaces where access to accurate health information is often limited. Their engagement helped them gain clearer knowledge about HIV prevention and encouraged continued contact with local health services. This strengthens their ability to protect their health and support others in their networks. SANPUD staff were part of these moments, offering information when asked and maintaining a steady presence that helped the conversations unfold.

Young people move their communities forward when they act on their own knowledge, questions and ideas."

A Durban Youth Initiative Taking Shape

​In Durban, a young advocate introduced his initiative called Shintsha Mjita during a meeting with SANPUD’s provincial coordinator. He explained how he is building partnerships with a local beverage company and planning awareness activities in schools and communities. The conversation took place in the same city where he first connected with SANPUD through a TikTok live session that opened the door to further support. His initiative strengthens local awareness and builds community networks. It also contributes to youth-led advocacy in the city and shows how young people create their own pathways when they see a need. SANPUD remained alongside him as he described his plans, offering support that followed the direction he had already chosen.

Systems Working Beside Youth from the Community of People Who Use Drugs

 ​Across all three provinces, SANPUD staff created opportunities for youth with lived experience of using drugs to participate, learn and lead. These actions supported the choices participants were already making and linked them to broader harm reduction systems that recognise their agency and potential.

What Comes Next

In every province, youth who use drugs are taking action in their own communities. They are preparing conference presentations, strengthening their HIV prevention knowledge and building local initiatives that support others. With SANPUD creating opportunities, connections and steady support, these young community members who use drugs continue to show leadership, creativity and determination. Their drug‑use experience does not prevent participation. It often becomes the starting point for meaningful change and it helps communities stay informed, connected and active.