Drug-Free Schools and Communities Campaign

Communities within the conflict zone of Cameroon are faced with a rapid increase in substance abuse. This is a result of unemployment, trauma, anxiety and stress. Faced with these challenges, most survivors turn to substance consumption and abuse as a coping mechanism which is not only a threat to their health but also a threat to attaining SDG 3 which talks about good health and wellbeing.

As an organisation working to ensure a drug-free environment, the Mike Yanou Foundation from April 2024 continued its drug-free schools and communities campaign around the Buea municipality of Cameroon targeting 10 schools and reaching out to over 4000 students on the harmful effects of drug abuse and preventive strategies in fighting substance misuse.

Community Conversation on Substance Abuse

Drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Cameroon have reached worrisome proportions, especially in the troubled regions where drug users continue to increase daily. According to the Ministry of Public Health, drug users in these regions have risen from 10 % in 2017, and 22% in 2019 to 43% in 2021. In the South West and North West regions, drug abuse and illicit trafficking is reportedly on the rise. Mike Yanou Foundation in 2023 during the community conversation in Mezam discovered that peer pressure, unemployment, dysfunctional families and crisis have led to a drastic increase.

The Community Conversation on Substance Abuse project aims to address the issue of substance abuse in the cities of Bamenda and Nkambe in the North West Region, Buea and Kumba in the South West Region, and Yaoundé in the Central Region of Cameroon. The project will span from May to December 2024, promoting open dialogue and discussions among community members to address common misconceptions and stigmas associated with substance abuse, promote healthy coping mechanisms and alternative strategies to deal with stress and other triggers that may lead to substance abuse and encouraging community members to support individuals struggling with substance abuse and provide them with information on available support services and treatment options.