Stories of Lakeside
“My dad told me, the third time, maybe you won’t have a chance. That is why I need to turn back time, I need to turn back the clock. I’m doing this for my family. My younger brother is a drug addict, incarcerated now. I need to show him that we can change; We can do it together.
The strongest words that give me the motivation are “Thank you, Daddy.” Even small things like cooking instant noodles for my son, he comes to me and says: Thank you, Daddy. Those 3 words give me the burning desire to be someone they can look up to. And my wife is amazing, I’m fortunate… I’m very much excited to be living the life I’m supposed to live, and it is what I can actually see as life.”
Since his release after serving time for drug-related offences, Zulkifli has been determined to stay on the right path. His case manager at Lakeside walked with him on his journey of rehabilitation, providing counselling and coping strategies to remain drug-free. Lakeside also helped his family by linking them to community resources, such as getting sponsored groceries delivered to his house during Circuit Breaker.
With the support of his loving family and Lakeside, he is gainfully employed and aspires to be a mentor to others, knowing full well that the path to acceptance and rehabilitation is not a sprint, but a lifelong marathon.