By: Abu H. Kargbo
Year Three students from the Mass Communication Department at the University of Makeni (UNIMAK) have successfully conducted a strategic anti-substance abuse campaign at the institution’s Fatima Campus.
The initiative, implemented on Thursday, February 19, 2026, received widespread commendation from senior university administrators.
Matthew Abdul Kanu, Course Instructor for Risk Communication and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication and Computer Sciences, explained that the campaign was designed to translate classroom theory into practical action while contributing to national development through awareness-raising on the dangers of substance abuse.
He emphasized that addressing substance abuse requires collective responsibility, including the effective use of communication strategies. “As communicators, building a decent and healthy society is our responsibility,” Kanu stated.
The campaign featured compelling messages such as “Say No to Kush” and “Your Mental Health Matters,” aimed at influencing positive behavioural change. The initiative aligns with the objectives of “Communication and Development,” a module offered to the students and integrated into the campaign’s design.
The strategically executed campaign began with a focus group discussion and later moved to key locations across campus, including the students’ popular canteen area, the finance office, and the administration building. The outreach attracted the attention of Madam Hawa Turay, Director of the Gender and Career Desk at UNIMAK, and Nancy Amanda Stevens, a Peer Researcher with SUCCEED Sierra Leone.
Both Turay and Stevens encouraged students to prioritize their mental health to ensure academic success, career growth, and a brighter future within Sierra Leone’s educational institutions.
One of the student campaigners, Mamusu Bangura, urged her colleagues to refrain from drug use, noting that substance abuse undermines productivity and jeopardizes future aspirations. “We are the hope of our nation,” Bangura remarked.
The campus-wide anti-substance abuse campaign highlights the transformative power of communication and underscores the critical role students play in addressing societal challenges and driving meaningful change.