Biography

Community leader and Local Hero Ernest Shangali founded the Ernest Rehabilitation Centre Tanzania (ERCT) to support and care for people affected by and struggling to overcome drug addiction. As a rehabilitated drug addict himself, Ernest understands the challenges addicts and children of addicts face. There are few resources outside of ERCT where individuals can seek help in breaking their addiction due to the abundance of other community issues like poverty, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. ERCT has become a beacon of hope for the many struggling adults and children in the community.

ERCT offers a robust rehabilitation program that addresses the needs of addicts and families impacted by addiction. The Centre has provided vocational training to 52 recovering addicts and developed a number of income-generating activities that are allowing recovering addicts to provide for their families. Educational scholarships have been provided to 28 children of addicts to ensure their education is not interrupted. Ernest has even established a partnership with the Kilimanjaro Regional Social Welfare Office and the local police so that youth who are caught using drugs are first brought to ERCT for care to immediately receive the support and assistance they need in order to prevent them from further experimentation with drugs. Enlisting the support of social services and the authorities has brought the community closer and promotes greater success for at-risk youth and recovering adults to remain drug-free.