Everyday, every life is affected differently by social, economic, emotional, physical and environmental factors. These factors in turn affect human life differently: they affect youth and women differently as compared to men. The adverse effect of these factors on youth and women affect families, communities and nations altogether. The uncertainties or difficulties faced by young people to curve opportunities from social, economic, emotional, physical and environmental factors affect their ability to cast a positive future. Because of these, many end up in addictions, that is when significant number of addiction victims interface with Purpose Rwanda as sisters and brothers, family and community in Rwanda in order to fight the common enemy: addiction.
Tackling addiction unlocks various opportunities in fighting poverty, unemployment, cases of suicide, mental health, crime, HIV/AIDS and other sicknesses. Ensuring recovered addiction patients receive training (in management, planning, budgeting, leadership, problem solving, ICT etc), mentorship, coaching, and empowerment remains Purpose Rwanda’s core premise in improving prospects for these young people to become Purposeful Agents of Transformation (PATs) whose role should engender their participation in fighting addictions and poverty in our families and communities which form the bed rock of our nation.
In this report, there is stark contrast from the July report: whereas, there is increase in the overall number of addiction patients, there is also increase in the size of the recovered patients 3.2%. The cases of relapsing have significantly reduced by 11.9%. Poverty remains the leading reason for addiction followed by family issues. what does this mean? It means in the final analysis, if access to opportunities such as empowerment or enabling factors are in place, the sky will also be the limit for the recovered addiction patients. It further means that if we all value family as source of individual’s life and growth, community and national development, cases of addiction can reduce and gradually become zero.
One could note these facts: the size of recovered addition patients being trained as PATs has increased by 3.9%. This forms a solid basis for improvement in skills and knowledge needed in poverty eradication. The number of Watchwomen has surpassed that of Watchmen in part due to the unique role played by the Watchwomen in relentlessly persuading the young people from denouncing addiction, their persuasive words, leadership, empathy, and spiritual approach continued to be monumental and compelling.
Purpose Rwanda’s call for partnerships is defined by a shared vision: achieving a Purposeful and Addiction Free Generation as a significant factor to increase our nation’s effort in achieving Rwanda’s Vision 2050 – The Rwanda We All Want.
