By: Aminata Sesay
In a powerful show of resilience and renewal, the Ministry of Social Welfare has welcomed the fifth cohort of drug abuse victims to the PMTC Rehabilitation Centre* in Hastings, signaling a deepening national commitment to reclaim Sierra Leone’s youth from the grip of addiction.
This latest intake was unlike any before not only because of the lives it seeks to transform, but because of the presence of recovered addicts who returned to the center as mentors and role models. Once lost in the darkness of substance abuse, these individuals now stand as living proof that recovery is possible, offering hope to those just beginning the journey.
The ceremony was intimate and emotional. Hon. Daramy, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Welfare, shared a heartfelt testimony of her personal experience as a mother whose son battled Kush addiction. Her voice cracked with emotion as she recalled the pain her family endured and the moment hope returned through the support of compassionate social workers.
“My son is alive and thriving today because someone chose not to give up on him,” she said.
Her story underscored the event’s central message: drug victims are not criminals, but citizens in need of empathy, support, and a second chance.
Minister of Social Welfare, Mrs. Melrose Karminty, echoed this sentiment, describing drug addiction as both a spiritual and societal crisis. She called on faith leaders, families, and communities to play active roles in the recovery process, stressing that healing must be a collective effort.
“This is not just a government fight,” she affirmed. “It is a national calling. We must love these young people back to life.”
As Sierra Leone grapples with the rising threat of Kush and synthetic drug abuse, the event in Hastings served as a symbol of hope a declaration that the country refuses to abandon its youth to despair.
The ceremony ended with a call to action: to fight not just the drugs, but also the stigma, silence, and isolation that allow addiction to thrive.
From pain emerged purpose. From brokenness, a movement. And from Hastings, a powerful message was sent redemption is real, and recovery is within reach.