Agape Family Life Centre

Agape Family Life Centre was established in 2013 by Yusuf Baxter — a man who has been in personal recovery from addiction for over 15 years and whose entire model of care is shaped by that lived experience. He designed the Agape outpatient treatment programme both from clinical training and from the inside knowledge of what recovery actually requires. The name Agape — the Greek word for unconditional love — reflects the centre's foundational orientation.

Agape is registered as an intensive outpatient treatment centre under Section 14 of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, 2008 (Act No. 70 of 2008), and holds the distinction of being described as the first registered outpatient treatment centre of its kind in the area. It operates from 17 Pniel Road in Kimberley — one of South Africa's most under-resourced provincial cities, where specialist treatment options are very scarce.

Why This Matters for GBV Survivors

Substance abuse and GBV are connected in multiple, complex directions. Some survivors use substances to cope with trauma. Some are exploited through substances — particularly trafficked women, who may be deliberately addicted as a control mechanism. Some abusers use substances to perpetuate violence. The testimony of Tameryn Ellis — featured on Agape's website — illustrates this intersection vividly: a woman who was trafficked, held hostage, subjected to forced prostitution, and became deeply dependent on multiple substances as her only available escape, who eventually escaped through extraordinary circumstances and was placed into witness protection, where she was connected to Agape for outpatient treatment. She subsequently became the project development manager of the safe house she had stayed in during witness protection.

This intersection means that an organisation like Agape, while not a GBV shelter or counselling centre, occupies a critical adjacent space in the care continuum — particularly for survivors in the Northern Cape who need addiction recovery support alongside or following GBV intervention.

Treatment Programmes

Intensive Outpatient Programme (IOP) The Agape Model of intensive outpatient treatment is evidence-based and has been developed and used extensively with people dependent on stimulants — particularly methamphetamine (tik), with documented research showing a high degree of lasting sobriety. The outpatient model allows clients to live at home or in supported accommodation while attending structured sessions — important for those who cannot access residential rehabilitation. This includes women in GBV shelters or safe houses in the Kimberley area who need concurrent addiction support.

Family Support Group Agape runs family education and support groups, recognising that substance dependency affects the entire family system. Sessions educate families about addiction, help them change enabling behaviours, prepare them for the changes that accompany their loved one's recovery, and address the violence that can erupt in family systems under the stress of addiction.

Aftercare and Reintegration After completing the primary programme, Agape provides ongoing aftercare with a focus on: - Relapse prevention and coping strategies - Structured time management and healthy lifestyle development - Random urinalysis to monitor sobriety - Continued family involvement - Connection to community-based mutual help groups (Narcotics Anonymous) - Rebuilding employment readiness and community participation

Community Outreach and Radio Agape's community engagement includes street outreach — spreading awareness and connecting marginalised individuals to services — and radio appearances on Revival FM to raise public awareness of substance abuse and available help.

Agape Family Life Centre: 17 Pniel Road, Kimberley, Northern Cape. Phone: 081 488 2510. Email: lglizelle@gmail.com. Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00, Sat 08:00–12:00. Registered outpatient treatment centre under Act 70 of 2008.