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Safe Place International Youth Advocacy Network, a youth-led non-governmental organization, recently held a highly successful Community Awareness Program on Drug Abuse and Mental Health in Crab Town, Aberdeen.
The event, which attracted a crowd of approximately 400 community members, aimed to address the growing concerns of substance abuse and mental health issues affecting youth in the area.
The program, organized by Safe Place under the leadership of Executive Director Aglyn Tennisha Kamara, focused on empowering the youth of Crab Town, a disadvantaged community plagued by addiction and abuse-related mental health problems.
Safe Place is committed to advocating for better mental health support and raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse, particularly among girls and women.
Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq., the Executive Director of the National Sports Authority, delivered the keynote address. He stressed the importance of collaborative efforts to support the youth through recovery programs, skills training, and job creation.
He emphasized that such initiatives are crucial for the sustainable development of the community, enabling young people to provide for themselves and their families.
Councilor Ahmed Karim Bangura of Ward 443, Aberdeen, voiced his vision for a drug-free community, urging the youth to join the movement for a “Kush-free” Crab Town. His call for a community free from substance abuse aimed to foster a safer and healthier environment.
The Chairlady of the Crab Town Community, Fatmata Binta Jalloh, passionately appealed to the youth to steer clear of drugs, emphasizing the destructive impact drugs can have on their futures and communities.
Technical insights into the harmful effects of chemicals found in kush and other synthetic drugs were presented by Sieh Daniel Sesay of Safe Place. The presentation highlighted the devastating consequences of drug abuse on the human body, further reinforcing the need for awareness and intervention.
Daniel Sesay from the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital outlined the hope for recovery, stressing that acknowledging addiction and mental health issues is a critical step in the healing process. A positive mindset and rehabilitation programs were identified as essential components of recovery.
Amadu Lumeh, a student at the Sierra Leone Law School, highlighted the economic factors contributing to substance abuse, including unemployment, poverty, and lack of educational opportunities. His remarks underscored the need for community-based solutions to address these root causes.
The program concluded with inspiring performances from the Safe Place Drama Team, who enacted skits to highlight the dangers of substance abuse, as well as testimonials from former victims from Crab Town who had successfully overcome addiction and mental health challenges.
Community stakeholders expressed their appreciation for Safe Place’s efforts in addressing these pressing issues and expressed eagerness for continued collaboration to empower the youth and improve the quality of life in Crab Town.
Wonderful advocacy work by Safe Place to make communities aware of the dangers of drug and substance abuse, abuse of girls and women, and the mental health consequences that often follow.
The extent of these challenges that plague communities require concerted efforts to encourage prevention, but also to support victims to overcome the addiction, and to empower them through skills training to establish brighter sustainable futures for themselves.
The testimonies of recovered victims bears witness to the work of Safe Place, and the efforts of other individuals and organisations to ensure the wellbeing of the youth of Sierra Leone.
Great 💪. Safe Place International Youth Advocacy Network is working relentlessly to build healthy and responsible society in empowering Youths like women and young girls as well as men and young boys