Substance abuse poses a significant threat to our youth; it’s time to confront it! We need the involvement of religious leaders, government officials, stakeholders, and NGOs. Fellow parents, educators, counselors, and school administrators, it’s time to take action. We need to enhance our parenting approaches. For us professionals, we must acquire additional skills to support and guide our children, as substance abuse is reaching epidemic levels in our nation. 

The World Health Organization indicates that 70.1% are impacted by substance abuse, a concerning statistic. As a counselor, I have been troubled upon meeting youth affected by this issue, and it often appears that there is a lack of concern from others. 

I want to sincerely thank Suzan, the founder, for her deep commitment to connecting with at-risk youth impacted by this crisis. It’s truly heartbreaking to witness the youth suffer. 

I would also like to acknowledge our facilitators, Shelana, Alexi, and Johnathan, who motivated us by sharing valuable insights regarding mental health. This included innovative approaches to address the issue. Their teachings empowered us and prompted us to tackle the challenges we face. The models shared were extremely beneficial, such as a video presented by Jonathan, showing a counselor who pursued further studies abroad and battled depression. It provided me with perspective on managing difficult scenarios as a counselor and with my clients. The fight-or-flight response discussed by Shelana, along with mood-coping classroom techniques by Alexi, were also enlightening.

My focus was on developing a mental health and wellbeing lesson for the classroom. As I delved into it, I realized that, thanks to God’s grace, some learners excelled while others became disheartened and quit. The group presentations on the final day were especially engaging, as they enlightened the teachers on how to handle their students effectively. This was evident in their participation in role plays and skits, as well as their presentations. I am confident that their knowledge has been enhanced. 

Our facilitators introduced us to Google Learning, which has now begun and continues to enrich our understanding. From the very start, this experience has been incredibly rewarding. I am optimistic that through networking and a continued push for mental health awareness in schools, similar to efforts made for HIV/AIDS, the younger generation will greatly benefit from our services, and we can combat substance abuse effectively. We must adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards substance abuse.