Teen Challenge Norway’s (Maritastiftelsen) goal is to prevent that youth start using drugs, and to help people with a background from drugs, prostitution or crime to start a new life. We believe that the power of the Gospel is freedom, and that the core of Christian faith is to show the love of Christ through our actions.
Maritastiftelsen (known as Marita) has its HQ in Oslo, and exists of 12 departments. Marita was founded in 1984 by Leiv Holstad, who, being rescued from drug abuse himself, had been visiting schools with his program 'Ja til livet, nei til rus' (Yes to life, no to drugs) since 1975. Today Marita runs the following programs:
Marita Bo: Three housing units for people with life controlling issues.
Prisons: Programs for inmates in 12 prisons in eastern Norway.
Work training/after care: we operate two second-hand shops, one bicycle workshop and a genitor-service where people can get work training and develop the skills to enter back into society. A third shop (2000 m
2) will open in November 2018.
Marita Women: working with victims of human trafficking. Both with street teams, night cafe and a safe house.
Marita Ung: Cafe and music workshop in the centre of Oslo for teenagers, mostly drop-outs.
Marita Drift: This is a next-step program for those who have been through the work training/after-care. Drift functions as a normal work place, offering services to builders and entrepreneurs.
Maritakafeen: This cafe is located in one of the more affected areas down town in Oslo. Through this cafe, which is open 6 days a week, we establish contact and relations with people struggling with drugs and/or other life controlling issues. We also run street teams through the cafe.
Drug prevention programs: Marita started with this type of work, and we still have two people travelling around the country visiting schools, churches and community centres with seminars.
Teen Challenge Norway's website is: www.marita.no