The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has called on parents to be present and involved in their children’s lives which will help in preventing drug and substance abuse that has been marauding the youths.
A Director at NACADA Board Florence Amoit, while speaking to the media during the Drug World day in Lilongwe Stadium in Mutituni Machakos County, said that parents are a critical pillar against drug substance abuse.
She called on parents’ vigilance and guidance in preventing their children from drugs and substance abuse and pointed out that they have done public education on positive parenting since most drug and substance abuse emanates from how a child is brought up.
” Parents, let’s be vigilant, alert and available and give our youths necessary guidance they require,” added Amoit.
She noted on the importance of having World Drug day is to celebrate the efforts that have been made over the years to fight against drug substances and since they have opened their office in Machakos they plan to network, raise visibility while working with communities.
The Director further disclosed that they chose to celebrate in the Mutituni area in Machakos because it’s a hotspot that has been identified by authorities and NACADA has been engaged in several projects to curb the vice.
One of the major projects is to sensitize the youths in Mutituni, on effects of drug and substance abuse by sponsoring a football match between Kamuthanga Queens and Mua Queens for ladies and also Kamuthanga Fc and Freetown Simba Fc for men so as to interact with the youths in Mutituni.
“We have hosted a football tournament that is meant to keep the youths busy and engaged and also hone their skills, turn it into talent which will help keep them away from drug abuse,” said Amoit.
Amoit commended NACADA on their efforts in curbing drug and substance abuse by undertaking crackdowns on illicit brew and seizure of narcotics through multi agency teams in several areas that has resulted in arrests and persecution.
NACADA also has an array of guidelines and life skills for learners on what is to be done in schools and at the same time working with various rehabilitation centres by engaging them and ensuring their standards are up to par.
In effort to interact and engage with the community, they have also worked with Jiwakilishe a community based organisation and Youth for Sustainable Development YSD in Machakos that helps in mentoring and supporting youths
By Anne Kangero
