-Says Bishop Simpson In Liberia; Gov't Can't Do It Alone
The Diocesan Bishop of the of the West African Council of the 35th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW), Dr. Leo M. Simpson, has disclosed plans earmarked by his church to build a rehabilitation center In Kakata City, Margibi County to rehabilitate drug users in the country.
Bishop, Dr. Simpson said the PAW church has decided to undertake this initiative, though expensive, but it is very important for the society because the rehabilitation of those young Liberians that are addicted to drugs should not be left with the Liberian Government alone as the prevalence of drugs among young people in Liberia is a serious threat to the fabric of the society.
Speaking in an interview with a team of Journalists at his office Thursday, August 10, 2022 Bishop Simpson said since the Liberian civil war, there has been an increased in the consumption of illegal drugs in Liberia with users neglected by their family and friends.
"Drug addiction has overtaken Liberia and if the government and citizens do not attach importance to reducing it the future generation will be damaged", he stressed.
The Liberian clergyman who is also the Principal of the Haywood Mission Institute located on the Old Road in district ten Montserrado County also said, as a true manifestation of their commitment, the PAW has made available one of its schools, Samuel Grimes Memorial Institute in Kakata City located along the Bong Mines Road to be used as the rehabilitation.
He said the PAW will partner with the A.M. Kyne Collegiate Resource Center to rehabilitate drug addiction, adding that a group of friends from the United States of America are expected to arrive in Liberia next Month to make available the initial fund to sustain the program.
He noted that drug addiction poses serious threat to the youthful population of the nation, and there is a need to alleviate this problem across the country noting that to him, the rehabilitation center will ensure that drug-addicted youth receive the necessary treatment and counseling to stabilize them.
He said the Rehabilitation Center will be headed by one of Haywood Mission Institute Alumni Mr. Adam Kyne who is also the Founder and Executive Director of the A. M. Kyne Collegiate Resource Center in Liberia and also the Executive Director of the Youth Assured Ministry International a Non-profit Christian and social justice organization.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kyne speaking shortly with journalists said he was happy to work to rehabilitate at risk youth free of charge as he own way of giving back to the country.
He explained that a former Clinician at National Counseling Group In Richmond, and hold a Doctor of Philosophy in Human Disaster Crisis & Intervention at Walden University, Doctor of Philosophy Human - Disaster Crisis & Intervention and also Studied Master of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University Master of philosophy at University, Studied Master of Divinity,
.Kyne, said the partnership with PAW to rehabilitate disadvantaged youth in the Samuel Grimes Memorial High School will not be institutionalized because, according to him, institutionalizing drug addicted youth is outdated stressing that, that drug-addicted people are traumatized and need counseling, rather than stationing them in institutions something he indicated it is a brain disease, which needs special attention.
Kyne pointed out that it is estimated that 100,000 youth in Liberia are faced with drug addiction, and if the situation is not tackled adequately it could create serious threat for the nation.
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According to him, beginning August 15, 2022 his organization will embark on an intensive 10-day training concerning the method of rehabilitating drug-addicted youth in Kakata, Margibi County.
Director Kyne emphasized that the training will involve people from the community, and will endeavor to help them to understand when somebody has fallen to drug addiction.
He maintained that Liberians need to understand that drug addiction is a brain disease that disadvantage youth need to recover from, rather than being ignored.
He asserted that partnership and collaboration with other organizations are important in battling drug addiction in society, and that government alone cannot address the rehabilitation of addicted youth.
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