Introduction

Women and Youth Care Empowerment Initiative (WAYCE) carried out a sensitization program to the women’s Wing of Obowo Development Association, Abuja Branch on the 9th February 2020 at the Obama Obowo (Obowo Town Hall) in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja-Nigeria.

A total of 87 women were sensitized and at the end of the program, the ODA Women were sensitized on the effects of drug and substance abuse.  The objectives of the outing were achieved.

Executive Summary

There was a need to sensitize ODA women to the menace of drug abuse and the illicit use of hard drugs.  The Executive Director and her team initiated a sensitization program with the Obowo women who invited the WAYCE team to their meeting. The Executive Director thanked the President of the ODA Women’s Wings (Dr. Mrs. Chinyelu Okafor) who received the team.  Addressing the women, the WAYC ED created awareness for the women and informed them that many students are out of school because of the menace of the use of hard drugs.  She urged mothers to monitor what their children are doing to women.  In the bid to increase the knowledge of women and mothers on the hazards/negative effects of engaging in hard drugs, using illicit drugs, and abusing drugs, both on the side of the women, the youths including the men, WAYCE through the ED wrote to the ODA women through their president General seeking for their audience on the day of their monthly meeting. In receiving the letter they responded and accepted our invitation for sensitizing them during their February monthly meeting.

During this visit, there was a formal introduction of WAYCE and its officers that went for the visit to the host association, and the mandate of WAYCE was also made known to them.

Activities Conducted

  1. A management meeting was held on the first of February to select among the management staff and the volunteers that will attend the visit.
  2. There were three management staff (ED, Admin Manager, Project Manager, and Director of Health) of WAYC that went for this sensitization visit.
  3. Typing and sending letters to the executive body of ODA women led to acceptance and approval.
  4. Arranging and preparing posters and banners for the visit.
  5. The implementation: The sensitization was held on the 9th of February 2020 at the ODA town hall in Efab Estate Bwari Area Council of Abuja.

Key Findings

  1. Most women don’t have a cordial relationship with their teenage children to discover when they are derailing away in life.
  2. Women are very busy with economic and other activities to make ends meet thereby neglecting their primary role as a mother in bringing up their children in the right pact.
  3. Most women lack basic knowledge of the effects of hard drugs, illicit drug use, and drug abuse in the lives of humans, especially their youth.
  4. Some women have not had any counseling section with their growing youth against the use of hard and illicit drugs.

Lessons Learnt

  1. The women were enthusiastic about the sensitization message WAYCE brought to their knowledge which they were not aware of before.
  2. That positive knowledge can come from any stakeholder even when it was not expected.
  3. Behavioral teachings should not be left in the hands of parents/guidance and school teachers alone rather let other stakeholders join hands.

Conclusion

The sensitization visit was a success as the impact was felt on their body language and questions were asked from ODA women who sounded very appreciative of the visit and said it was a step in the right direction as their president general Dr. Mrs. Chinyelu Okafor applauded the ED of WAYCE and her team for creating this impactful opportunity for ODA women to share from their wealth of knowledge and promised to take this message home to their children, youths, and husbands even fellow women who were not present.