Introduction

The Women and Youth Care Empowerment Initiative (WAYCE) visited a junior secondary school in Galadinmawa with a project they tagged “operation catch them young” at the school site in Galadimawa village in Abuja municipal area council in FCT on the 12th of March 2020.

A team of five management staff of WAYCE went out for this outreach. At the end of it all, a number of about two hundred and seventy-five students were sensitized.

Executive Summary

For the WAYCE’s project of ‘operation catch them young’ the team arrived at Galadimawa Junior Secondary School through the acceptance letter written to the principal of the school by the executive director of WAYC through the Admin manager. The principal graciously gave her approval for the WAYC visit to the school.

The women and youth care empowerment initiative WAYCE did explore this opportunity granted to them by the principal of Galadimawa Junior Secondary School to sensitize the students to live a healthy lifestyle, thereby avoiding the use and sale of hard drugs, illicit drugs, and the abuse of normal drugs.

The following are the main objectives of this outreach.

  1.  Educating and sensitizing the students on why they should not fall prey to peer pressure due to the consequences of its negative impact on their future aspirations.
  2. To impact the knowledge of hard drugs being a killer disease otherwise a destiny killer.
  3. Enlightening these young stars on the constitutional penalties of other countries regarding the use of drugs and trafficking.
  4.  Reminding the students about the culture of arduous work in their studies and every other area of life.
  5. Give an oration to the students on avoiding every act that can destroy their future and tarnish their image, the image of family, and our country.

Challenges

  • Most parents and guidance have not realized the need to counsel these students at home against the use of drugs and other unruly behaviors.
  • Some of their parents don’t border to know who their friends and associates of these youths are both in school and neighborhood.

Conclusion

 The sensitization program was a tremendous success as about 275 students were sensitized. They were given the opportunity to ask questions, in addition, they expressed their joy in learning new and important things that will help them in life and in their future ambitions.

The principal also showed appreciation for counting her school among the schools that obtained the wonderful sensitization organized by Team WAYCE. She also made an appeal that WAYCE should continue to remember the school in its subsequent outings and other activities.

Activities Conducted

  1. National officers held a meeting to deliberate on the way forward in regard to the outing.
  2. A letter was written to the principal to seek her approval.
  3. Items like fliers, banners, posters, etc were prepared for the outreach.
  4. A number of youths and volunteers were sent a signal to participate in the outreach which resulted in a number of four management staff and four volunteers participating in the sensitization activity.

Key Findings

  1.  It was observed that most students had no knowledge of hard drugs while some already are taking the drugs.
  2. Most of these students don’t have any knowledge of the hazards of using hard drugs, illicit drugs, and abuse of standard drugs.
  3. The majority of them don’t the consequences of hard drugs or trafficking is death in other countries.