SERENITY CENTRE. Proposal for Sensitization, Creating awareness, Prevention and Sustainability of Addiction Care Services among the youth in Uganda

Transcription

1 Serenity Centre (SC) is Uganda s first treatment Centre for alcoholism and substance abuse. It has a vision of a world where substance addicts, abusers and affected communities have access to quality interventions and treatment. To fulfill her mission, SC uses multimodal therapeutic approaches, where a multidisciplinary team of professionals SERENITY CENTRE Proposal for Sensitization, Creating awareness, Prevention and Sustainability of Addiction Care Services among the youth in Uganda Submitted to Rotary Club Kampala Target Group: 4 Teachers per 6 schools in each region of Uganda. SERENITY CENTRE (SC), Kabulamuliro, P.O.BOX Clock Tower, Kampala, Uganda, East Africa. Telephone: (256) , , , serenity@utlonline.co.ug Website: 1. Background 1.1 Serenity Centre

2 plan and assist in the treatment process for each Client. SC s key program areas include; Treatment, Prevention/Education/Outreach and After-Care Programs, Family Intervention/ALNON Programs and SC Institutional Capacity Development. Since 2001, when it first started operations and to date, a total of over 1000 clients, from across the Country, have benefitted from her SC residential treatment program. The Rotary Club of Kampala 2.0 Preamble The Rotary Club of Kampala (RCK) is the oldest Club in Uganda having been chartered in It presently belongs to District This year the RCK entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with SC where both parties pledged to work together to address the issue of substance abuse in Uganda. In June 2012, both parties carried out an awareness campaign at Kings College Budo Senior Secondary School. This awareness Campaign also attracted other Schools like Gayaza High School. It was recognised that, in order to have an impact, this exercise should be carried out on a bigger scale and throughout the Country. Alcohol/Drug abuse continues to pose great challenges to the health of the world`s population. It is currently estimated that problems related to alcohol and drug consumption rank among the world`s major public health problems and constitute serious harm to human health, welfare and security. Uganda is no exception; the country was once rated to have the highest per capital consumption of alcohol in the World (WHO-2004). Use of narcotic drugs is also on the rise. Previously only traditional drugs like cannabis were consumed. Uganda was only a transit country for substance like heroine. Presently, these substances are consumed by the local population, especially the youths. As Government of Uganda struggles to develop and implement policies on the demand and supply reduction, there will be victims of the vice who require addiction care services. SC has over the past 11 years been at the forefront in increasing access to addiction care services. SC services have expanded and the Centre is also involved with outreach programs as part of a demand reduction strategy through information and education of the public. As SC joins hands with other stakeholders it believes that it can contribute to reduction of alcohol and drug use in Uganda. 3.0 The Problem Alcohol and drug abuse is one of the greatest challenges and causes of mental health problems amongst youths in Uganda. Recent studies show that there is an increasing trend in alcohol and substance abuse especially amongst the youths in secondary schools, colleges, and universities as shown below: Table showing statistics from Serenity Centre2011 Age groups Substance (15-24)yrs (25-34)yrs (35-44)yrs 45-above Total Alcohol 3 (3.12%) 11 (11.46%) 15 (15.63%) 5 (5.21%) 34 (35.42%) Marijuana 3 (3.12%) 2 (2.08%) (5.21%) Cocaine

3 Mairungi Kuber 2 (2.08%) (2.08%) Multiple 21 (21.88%) 26 (27.08%) 6 (6.25%) 2 (2.08%) 55 (57.29%) Total (100%) This problem arises from many factors which include: technological developments, lack of employment for the new graduates, poor parenting or upbringing of children, loss of sense of belonging, identity and meaning, peer group and environmental pressures. In an effort to address these problems many youths have sought refuge in alcohol and drugs. This has left many parents and teachers wondering about the future youths in this country. In most instances the problem is compounded by parents living in denial. 4.0 The Suggested Approach SC has attempted with limited resources to address these problems at the level of schools. The biggest challenge encountered is inadequate financial resources to extend services of sensitization, awareness, prevention and sustainability in schools and other institutions of learning. SC has the conviction that it s possible to live life without use of substances and with support from other stakeholders who wish to see the youth in Uganda liberated from this challenge. It is in this light that SC is making a request to the Rotary fraternity for financial resources to carry out a countrywide sensitisation program setting a target of 4 Teachers per 6 schools in each region of Uganda. These Teachers would be exposed to literature, facts and tools which can be used to fight this menace. The Teachers would attend a 4 day-residential training program during school holidays. They would be expected to take the message back to their mother schools. Further, they would be assisted to lobby their schools to include the topic of substance abuse in their school curriculum. The resources requested would cover; transport to the Training Venue (USD 9,604.65); accommodation and meals (USD 22,139.00); media and communication (USD 7,440) for a total of USD 38, The Budget. SERENITY CENTRE/ROTARY CLUB SENSITIZATION PROGRAM BUDGET 23rd October 2012 Name of Program Name of Program Name of Program Name of Program Transport Community Sensitization through Teachers 4Teachers (6schools) Transport refund/ One off payment (24 Teachers per region*30,000)*4regions Resource Personnel to 4Facilitate US& UK Return Ticket 5,000,000*4Resource Personel Specialists Cars to transport Facilitatators in 4 Regions 250,000*3regions *2trips Transport within Kampala 200, Transport to and From Airpot Resource Persons 200, Accomodation & Meals Accommodation for 4Resource Persons,8 Serenity Staff,16Teachers Gulu-Kakanyero Full Board 150,000 *(24Teachers+2SC Kampala-Pope Paul Full Board 120,000*(24Teachers+2SC

4 Mbale Maisha Full Board 110,000*(24Teachers+2SC Mbarara- Accacia Full Board 130,000*(24Teachers+2SC Media & Stationery Local Radios Facilitation Create awareness in the region about the SC services Talkshows Monitor & New Vision Rupiny,Bukedde, Orumuri Radio West,CBS Kampala,Mbale Opengate Fm and Gulu Mega Fm 700,000(4 Regions) Cordination and Preparation for the program Preparations between Novemebr & December Northern Region(Arua,Nebbi,Gulu,Kitgum,Lira and Eastern Region(Soroti,Moroto,Mbale,Tororo,Iganga Western Region (Mbarara, Kabale, Rukungiri, Fortportal, Masindi and Bushenyi) Central Region(Kampala, Masaka,Wakiso, Mukono,Luwer Mubende Hall Hiring Hall Hiring 4 days + Projector 4 400,000 *4days(Projector inclusive) Stationery Materials GRAND TOTAL 5 The above Budget is prepared on the basis of the following assumptions The 4 day program would be carried out in January 2013 which is immediately following the Christmas and New Year holidays. The selected canters are Gulu, Mbale, Mbarara and Kampala. The training would be conducted concurrently in all these towns SC would assign two of its Staff for each Town. It is expected that 4 Resource Persons would be attracted from outside the Country. The speciality of such persons would include Clinical Physiologists, Psychiatrists, Social Workers etc Prior to the event SC Staff would need to speak to selected schools, authorities in the Ministries, local Governments and other Stakeholders to ensure success of the program. (See annex 1 for detailed budget) 6.0 Sustainability of the Program For purposes of Sustainability of this program SC shall the value the local community contribution represented by the trained 24 Teachers per region. The trained teachers shall form the basis of our community mobilizers in the regions for easy organization of follow ups for the youth in the regions. Through the trained teachers, more schools shall be reached and clubs for Anti-alcohol and drug abuse shall be formed. Serenity Centre shall organize more workshops for youth in schools in those regions where the already trained teachers will boost our training team so that costs involved in dispatching a team from Kampala shall be reduced to at least one person to work with the 24 teachers already in the region. Ongoing refresher trainings for the 24 teachers shall be organized to equip the teachers with more packages. This shall be achieved in teaming up with Government departments, other institutions like Hospitals in the regions and Schools authorities to address the issue of substance abuse.

5 5