MTHATHA – An author from Zimbane Valley in Mthatha, Lizo Gwebityala, has released a booklet titled Roots and Awareness, aimed at educating children about substance abuse.
He began writing the booklet in November 2025 and completed it in early January 2026.
Gwebityala said the booklet is designed to help children understand substance abuse, its dangers, and ways to protect themselves.
Gwebityala said,
Basically, it is a substance abuse prevention booklet for children. I saw how this behaviour affects children in our community, breaking families and futures. I wanted to give them tools to make healthy choices and build resilience.
The booklet is suitable for children aged between 6 and 12 years, but Gwebityala noted that people of different ages can also relate to its message.
This is his first published work; however, he has long been involved in substance abuse awareness campaigns, which gave him experience working with children and helped him identify the need for a resource that speaks directly to them.
“I am now working on translations to accommodate children who speak different languages. This version uses code-switching between isiXhosa and English. My plan is to produce separate English-only and isiXhosa-only versions and then expand further.”
He hopes the booklet will be made available free of charge in schools, community centres, libraries, churches and at local events. He is currently seeking partnerships, sponsorships or funding to support bulk printing and distribution.
The Roots and Awareness book is also available online at: Here
