Trainee scientist on mission to redeem youth from drugs
Roy Lumbe @lumbe_roy
For many young people in Kenya, drug abuse is considered a harmless recreational activity. In a bid to look ‘cool’, the youth get hooked to substance abuse.
Daniel Tutu Karanja witnessed the hopelessness brought by drug abuse when he joined university five years ago.
At Kisii University, where he was enrolled for an actuarial science course, Karanja saw his peers getting addicted to drugs and indulging in irresponsible sexual behaviour.
Back at home in Munanda village, Subukia in Nakuru county, his peers faced a similar challenge.
Karanja noted that exposure to music that promoted drug abuse and risky sexual conduct among the youth further exacerbated the situation.
This prompted him to initiate a programme to educate the youth in his home area against the vices.
At Munanda village, Karanja was considered a role model for having overcome poverty to further his education.
He has leveraged on this influence to educate the youth in the area about the harms of drug abuse.
“I started the programme in 2015 while in my first year at the university. Many young people in the area had fallen into drug abuse and early pregnancies.
I gathered a few friends and we deliberated on how we can educate the youth against the vices,” he says.
Starting with only five students, Karanja has grown his influence among the youth with his Munanda-Tuinuane group and in the process winning the hearts of parents who have been concerned about moral degradation.
While at university, Karanja would save part of his student loan from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) to further the programme.
He used these savings to pay for transportation costs for facilitators who went to give talks to the youth during long holidays.
Currently, the 24-year-old has mentored over 200 youths in the area, adding that he mobilises university leavers to give back by instilling good morals to youth.
During the sessions, students are taught the importance of studies and sensitised on how to tackle drug abuse and sexual immorality.
“I don’t have support from anyone at the moment, I mobilise students who have benefited from the programme to give talks on their experiences,” he says.
Substance abuse can lead to poor physical and mental health, lowering chances of getting employed.
According to Karanja, for some, use of drugs leads to homelessness. While for others, homelessness leads to drug abuse.
He notes that he has to work with other facilitators in a bid to enlighten the young generation on the importance of hard work saying that is the only way they can build successful careers.
The student, who is awaiting graduation later this year, says he is upbeat about changing lives of the young generation in the community.
Leading by example
Often, the students he works with wonder why he is so interested in encouraging them to take their studies seriously even though he is still unemployed.
“Sometimes I am at pains to explain to them why I am teaching them on the importance of education, yet I am still rooted here with them. However, I find strength by telling them education can give you knowledge and success,” he adds.
Karanja further explains that idleness among the youth from his area has forced them to turn to drugs and most of those who complete school prefer to venture into boda boda business.
His dream is to expand the group and see more students enrolled in the programme to ensure more sensitisation is done against drug abuse.
Joel Maina, a teaching student from Asumbi Teachers Training in Homabay and a beneficiary of the programme, says it has been of great assistance to the youths.
He associates his success in his higher education to the programme. Through the programme, he has learnt how to motivate others.
He calls on the support of other youths in advocating against drug abuse.
“I am a beneficiary of the programme, my success can be attributed to the lessons I have attended, more volunteers need to come up and assist in the advocacy of drug abuse,” says Maina.
George Munyasia, a facilitator, terms the programme productive and one that can have bigger reach if given more support.
