FREEING ADDICTS IN THE NAME OF JESUS
About FALSA
FALSA—short for “Free A Life South Africa”—is a South-African based non-profit organization whose mission is to help the marginalized and disadvantaged go through drug rehabilitation programs where they will meet Jesus Christ, be freed from addiction, and live new productive lives. We operate primarily in the Johannesburg region of Gauteng Province.
Drug addiction can be found in any demographic, but South Africa faces an epidemic of disadvantaged people on the margins of society who have no means of getting clean. For example:
- A Nyaope addict who lives on a street corner wants to get clean, but doesn’t see any hope for how this could happen.
- A family in Soweto has a son or daughter who is addicted to drugs, but they don’t have the resources to send them to rehab.
- An urban church knows people in the community who need help with drug addiction, but doesn’t have the knowledge or experience to know where to start.
The vision of FALSA is to help disadvantaged and marginalized people like this around Johannesburg and Gauteng by providing them with access to Christian-based drug rehabilitation programs.
FALSA believes that the only hope to truly free lives from drug addiction is through drug and substance rehabilitation programs that are first and foremost rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and are focused on treating the body, soul, and mind. We help drug addicts—as well as individuals, families, and churches that know addicts—who need such rehabilitation programs, but lack the means to enter such a program, are unsure where to find them, or do not know how to help an addict successfully complete such a program.
Meet Our Team
Thato Mabe (FALSA Coordinator):
Thato Mabe holds a BSc in accountancy from the University of Johannesburg and has years of experience working in the non-profit / charity sector in South Africa. He plays an integral role as the Coordinator for FALSA, handling logistics and communication for the patients who go through the FALSA program. He and his wife Thuli have one child.
Kristin Marais (Chair of Board):
Kristin Marais is a high school teacher in the USA, although her family is originally from South Africa. She got involved with drug rehab after meeting local guys who were addicted to Nyaope while living in Johannesburg, and was the primary organizer of the first addicts to go through the FALSA Program. She is Chair of the FALSA Board of Directors.
Musawenkosi Ntinga (Director):
Rev. Musawenkosi Ntinga a member of the FALSA Board of Directors and is the lead pastor of Christ Central (REACHSA), a church in Pimville, Soweto. He is also the executive director of Gauteng Alliance, a collaborative of a number of churches and Christian organisations that seeks to collaborate generously for kingdom growth and gospel impact in all of Gauteng. He is married to Masana Ntinga and they have two children.
Todd Khupe (Director):
Todd Khupe is a pastor and council member at Christ Central Church Soweto, and is a member of the FALSA Board of Directors. He has years of experience working with youth struggling with drug use on the streets of Johannesburg through iCare and other ministries. Pastor Todd is the author of Kuyafana: Stories from the street of Faith, Love and Hope. He and his wife Constance have three children and live in Johannesburg.
Casey Luskin (Director):
Casey Luskin is a member of the FALSA Board of Directors, and is also a geologist (PhD University of Johannesburg) and attorney based in Seattle, Washington, USA. He helped co-found FALSA while meeting local guys who wanted to get clean from heroin addiction while living in Johannesburg from 2016-2020. He now lives in Seattle, Washington State, USA where he works with Discovery Institute.