It takes a village: empowering Freetown slum communities to prevent Kush use and promote wellbeing among addicted youth

Led by Global Youth Network in partnership with YAMA and ARMeD Victims SL, this initiative aims to address widespread Kush use in four slum communities of Freetown, Sierra Leone, through a community-based, holistic approach. It combines psychosocial support through yoga, somatic dance, and music therapy with vocational, entrepreneurship, and soft skills training. The goal is to raise awareness of the mental health risks of Kush use while providing support to help youth overcome addiction and build better futures. Targeting youth (ages 16-24), particularly out-of-school, unskilled, and unemployed individuals, the project integrates mental health education and substance use prevention into schools, youth centers, and healthcare providers. By offering both wellbeing support and practical skills, the initiative seeks to create a pathway to resilience. This model has the potential for scalability across Sierra Leone, fostering lasting change among youth facing addiction.