Stefan's Studies

My name is Stefan Marais, and I am a recovering addict currently studying Theology and Psychology.

In 2019, I reached the peak of my bodybuilding career when I won the South African Championships. But soon after that success, my life took a dark turn — I fell into severe addiction that nearly cost me everything, including my life.

For four long years, I cycled through treatment centers and hospitals, battling relapse after relapse. I finally found recovery and began to understand the true roots of addiction — not as a moral failure or weakness, but as a response to human suffering.

Today, I’ve dedicated my life to helping others break free from the same chains that once held me. Addiction is one of the most misunderstood struggles in our society. Addiction is not a lack of willpower, ethical lapse, weakness of character or even an inherited brain disease. Addiction is not a choice that people make — and the sooner we treat it as such, the more lives we can save.

I now do volunteer work across the Lowveld, speaking at churches, schools, and rehabilitation ce...