Generation 711, a youth-led charity organization, in collaboration with partners on Wednesday launched an anti-drug campaign targeting young people in Juba.
Speaking at the launch ceremony on Wednesday at the University of Juba, Oyella Eunice, the Executive Director of Generation 711, said the awareness campaign primarily focuses on raising awareness among young people.
“Alcohol is the major obstacle and harmful factor that cross-cuts in various areas of life,” she said. “We believe that destroying the country is not about raising guns because we can destroy it in many different ways. Alcohol can destroy the mind and education system.”
According to Oyella, the campaign serves as a call to action among young people about the importance of making positive choices for their health and well-being.
“In South Sudan, the children and the youth make up the largest percentage of the population and this means the future of the nation is in their hands,” she stated. “That is why it is our collective responsibility as children, youth, and duty bearers and as organizations operating within the nation to ensure that children and youth are safe and protected.”
For his part, Dr. Mawiew Atem, the Secretary General of Drug and Food Control, urged the police to enforce laws that prohibit the use of illicit drugs.
“On our part as regulators, we are on the same page. The regulations and laws are already there and the control for all these things (drugs and alcohol) are in place,” he said. “What remains is only the enforcement. The enforcement of the law is not the work of regulators alone.”
Drug and alcohol abuse has become an alarming issue in South Sudan with local spirits, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine among other banned and harmful substances.
The campaign seeks to combat the stigma and discrimination faced by individuals who use drugs and create a platform for individuals to seek help without fear.