{{In a recent article published in The New Times, it was reported that a study commissioned by the Ministry of Youth and ICT and carried out by a team of researchers from Kigali Health Institute found out that \u201c52.5% of youth in Rwanda have at least once taken drugs, and 92.7% of that population group kept on consuming them\u201d}}. <\/p>\n
This would imply that 48.66% of all Rwandan youth consume drugs. Another misleading element in the article is the reference to trafficking, which was not covered by the said report. <\/p>\n
Considered out of their proper context, these numbers would undoubtedly be alarming.<\/p>\n
To put things in perspective, the public needs to know that the research considered as \u201cdrug\u201d both legal and illegal substances. <\/p>\n
Out of the 52.5% reported as consuming drugs, the same research further states that about only 5 % have ever tried an illegal substance mainly cannabis whose lifetime prevalence stood at 4.4% and 2.54% reported problems of dependence on it.<\/p>\n
The other most prevalent illegal drugs are illicit brews such as Kanyanga, solvents (glue) and local brews prepared from sorghum, sugar, etc. collectively responsible for about 1% of reported cases of drug use. <\/p>\n
These findings point out to the relatively high level use of alcohol (34%) and tobacco (8.5%) among the youth (14 \u2013 35 years of age).<\/p>\n
What is most important, is to note that the commissioning of the report was by itself an acknowledgment that drug abuse among the youth was indeed a serious problem that deserves policy attention and action which wouldn\u2019t be based on mere anecdotic evidence. <\/p>\n
The study informed and strengthened a number of on-going programmes by the Ministry and its public and non-profit stakeholders to tackle the issue of drug abuse and its consequences on the youth. <\/p>\n
Most importantly, it justified on-going policy and regulatory reviews, geared towards making Rwanda a drug-free country.
\nThe campaign for drug eradication was launched by Her Excellency the First Lady Jeanette Kagame in December 2011. <\/p>\n
In response to her call, the Ministry of Youth and ICT initiated the \u201cNeighbour\u2019s eye\u201d (Ijisho ry\u2019umuturanyi) which aims at pushing the campaign to the village level (umudugudu). <\/p>\n
The programme is a partnership between MYICT (Ministry of Youth and ICT), Imbuto Foundation, the National Police, the Ministry of Local Government, Faith-based organisations and a number of other public and non-for-profit stakeholders. <\/p>\n
To-date, the campaign has established anti-drugs committees in all the14, 813 villages of Rwanda.<\/p>\n
Iwawa Rehabilitation and Skills Training Centre is another home-grown solution to assist those who have fallen victims of drug addiction leading to petty crime. <\/p>\n
So far the programme rehabilitated and graduated 2,056 young men in a range of vocational skills that include carpentry, construction, commercial farming and tailoring. Today, the centre hosts 1,936 youth. <\/p>\n
The programme has achieved remarkable success whereby more than 90 per cent of graduates were successfully reintegrated back into their communities as responsible and productive citizens.<\/p>\n
However, to win the battle against alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use among young Rwandans, it will take much more than policy, government backed programmes and law enforcement. <\/p>\n
There has to be a mind-set change towards the traditional and cultural value of these substances. <\/p>\n
Parents, educators and communities need to play a leading role by protecting children against exposure to these substances at a tender age.<\/p>\n
The writer is the Minister of Youth and ICT of the Republic of Rwanda.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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