Introduction

Women and Youth Care Empowerment Initiative (WAYC) had its first sensitization outreach for the year 2020 with the youths of the two communities of Umunga and Umunachi all in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State.  The youth totaling about 115 were sensitized on the dangers of engaging in either use of illicit drugs, the use of hard drugs, and/or drug abuse.

This outreach was held at Obu (the Family Hall of Chief Chika Okafor) in Umungwa.  The occasion was facilitated by the WAYCE team led by the Executive Director, (Barr. Mrs. Nneoma Okafor), the Admin Manager (Maduka Comfort Oluchukwu), and three volunteers.

Executive Summary

In a bid to contribute to preparing the mind of the present-day youths against engaging in drugs, the Executive Director of WAYCE (Barr. Mrs. Nneoma Okafor) with her team summoned the youths of the communities to a meeting at Umungwa Obowo and educated them on the dangers of drugs and substance abuse.

The ED pointed out the fact that drug abuse is dangerous to health and cannot only lead to addiction but also make one a nuisance in society. Drug addiction can also kill as a person who engages in drugs and substance abuse is regarded as ‘irresponsible’ in society.

She equally advised the youths to spurn illicit drug use, embrace healthy living, live with optimism, and focus, and stand out as tomorrow’s leaders.

The youths who were present at the occasion were within the age bracket of 13 to 25 years.  Many of them are secondary school students and some university undergraduates.  The youths were sensitized, and the occasion was a success. 

Activities Conducted

  1. WAYCE Management meeting

An emergency management meeting was summoned by the Executive Director (ED) Discussion at the meeting centered on modalities to carry out the sensitization program since there was an urgent need to address the youths on the negative effect of drugs and substance abuse, especially as a lot the youths were available during the period. 

  • Decisions taken at the meeting were to reach out to the village heads of the two communities, inform the youth leaders, and the Church leaders to announce the youths about the program. The information about the event was also communicated to parents so that they would release their youths to attend the program.
  • The 4th of January was chosen for the sensitization program.
  • Messages were dispatched to the stakeholders mentioned above informing them about the date of the event. The discussion during this meeting includes reaching out to the village head and the youth leaders of the two communities. From this meeting, letters were dispatched to these critical stakeholders to officially inform them and disseminate this information to parents/guidance to release their youths on the said date. 

Key Findings

  1. About 115 youths attended the program. Most of the participants were secondary school students, some undergraduates, and some school leavers.
  2. The sensitization program opened the eyes and minds of the youths to the dangers of the illicit use of drugs.  Some of the youths who had started using drugs opened and were counseled accordingly. A sizable number of youths promised to discontinue the use of hard drugs.

Discoveries

We discovered that some of these youths started engaging in drugs ignorantly and casually not having knowledge of its negative effect.

  • Another group was influenced and lured into drugs by peer pressure at school and within their neighborhood.
  • Some of the youths claimed that they got involved because their parents take, buy, and sell hard drugs and as a result, their children got involved believing that dealing drugs was good.

Lessons Learnt

  • We learned that most of these youth are approachable and needed further follow-up programs to put them on their feet so as not to fall back to their vomit.
  • We also learned that most of these youths needed social and financial empowerment because according to them when their hands and mind are busy with positive things, they will not have time for peer influence they will be the ones influencing their peers.

Conclusion

The sensitization program was a tremendous success.   The turnout was good.  The result was positive as many of the youths promised to abstain from the illicit use of drugs and abuse. 

The spokesperson of the youths (Mr. Onyebuchi Okoronkwo) a second-year undergraduate of Federal Polytechnic Owerri appreciated team WAYC for the sensitization program.