Faith leaders in Marsabit County have joined the fight against drug and substance abuse following an interfaith training organised by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).
The training brought together pastors, sheikhs, youth and women representatives, who were equipped with knowledge and skills to become champions in the campaign against drug and substance abuse in their communities.
Speaking after the training, NACADA Marsabit County Coordinator Mohamed Wako said faith leaders have a critical role to play in addressing the growing problems by incorporating messages on drug and substance abuse into sermons and other religious programmes.
Wako said the leaders had agreed to invite NACADA officials to churches, mosques, madrasas, youth camps and other community gatherings to sensitise residents on the dangers associated with substance abuse.
“We have trained champions who will help us in the community, churches and mosques by putting the topic of drug and substance abuse in their sermons,” Wako said.
He identified illegal alcohol, cannabis, miraa and the misuse of prescription medicines as some of the major substances affecting residents, particularly young people in the county.
According to Wako, the availability of prescription medicines from chemists without proper prescriptions is also contributing to the problems, while illegally brewed and counterfeit alcohol remains a major concern.
He warned that the high level of substance abuse among young people could have serious consequences for the county’s future.
“It’s like we are losing a generation here,” he said, noting that many young people cite unemployment and lack of meaningful activities as some of the reasons for turning to drugs and alcohol.
NACADA is planning to expand its community outreach programme across the county. Wako said the Authority intends to engage young people, opinion leaders and women leaders in different locations and train community champions who can serve as ambassadors in their villages.
He said the planned interventions would complement ongoing sensitisation campaigns targeting young people and parents.
The county co-ordinator also urged parents to take a more active role in monitoring their children’s lives, particularly their whereabouts, friendships and changes in behaviour.
He said parents who pay attention to their children’s daily activities are better placed to identify early signs of substance abuse or negative peer influence.
For Pastor Joseph Galgalo, the coordinator of Life Empowerment Network in Marsabit, the campaign against drugs is deeply personal.
Galgalo shared his own journey from substance abuse to recovery, saying he previously struggled with alcohol, cigarettes, miraa and cannabis before turning his life around.
He attributed his transformation partly to his mother’s prayers and said his experience had inspired him to help other young people struggling with substance abuse.
“Today, anyone who sees me cannot believe the challenges that I went through when I was in the captivity of drugs,” he said.
Galgalo urged parents to remain vigilant even when their children leave home for university or other institutions of higher learning.
He said some young people who were raised well in churches and mosques can become exposed to drugs when they move to cities and universities, where they encounter new social environments and peer pressure.
Pastor Galgalo warned parents who use alcohol, tobacco or other substances that their behaviour can influence their children.
According to Galgalo, young people often imitate what they see at home, making parents important role models in the fight against substance abuse.
He said the Life Empowerment Network has brought together young people who have overcome drug addiction and are now helping others avoid or recover from substance abuse.
Rev. Diba Saido, the Chairman of NACADA Marsabit County, thanked the Authority for bringing faith leaders together for the training.
He said the involvement of pastors and sheikhs would strengthen efforts to reach communities because religious institutions have a strong influence among families and young people.
Saido said the trained leaders had agreed to facilitate NACADA activities in churches, mosques, Sunday schools, youth camps and other religious gatherings.
He said the knowledge gained during the training would enable faith leaders to help identify and address substance abuse within their communities.
The initiative comes as stakeholders seek stronger community-based approaches to tackling drug and alcohol abuse in Marsabit.
With religious leaders, parents, youth, women and community opinion leaders being brought into the campaign, stakeholders hope that the combined efforts will help protect young people and reduce the impact of substance abuse across the county.
By Anthony Melly
