By ACHADU GABRIEL, Kaduna
An NGO, The Eye Opener Women and Youth Foundation and winner of World Health Organization (WHO) 2021 and 2022 World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Award, has inaugurated “Hausa Tobacco and Substance Abstinence Club” in Hausa dominated community, Tudun Wada area of Kaduna metropolis, while marking world drug day.
The inauguration which took place shortly after a community dialogue on challenges of drugs and substance abuse in health and humanitarian crisis, is targeted at women and their roles in preventing abuses in the life of the children, teenagers and youth.
According to the President of the foundation, Mrs. Margaret Julius, some parents are in the habit of contributing to the challenge of substance misuse in their children.
She said on several accessions, she has seen women leaving their children that are not up to eight years old, begging and picking cans in the trash to go and sell, adding that the act is the highest level of child abuse, “because these little children are expose to the world at very tender age and also exposed to substances at very tender age that their brain is not fully developed.”
During the dialogue, most of the participating women admitted that majority of the mothers are also into drugs.
According to one of the women, Haj. Hauwa Mohammed, some married women due to peer pressure, behave as though they are still single, thus they visit and introduce to them different substance and bad counseling on how to manage their homes.
She therefore, called on married women to abstain from bad friends and stay closer to their children and husbands.
Another woman who introduced herself as Fatima Mohammed, a resident of Alkalawa Road Tudun Wada, revealed that a participant said that some mothers are hiding and covering the bad deeds of their children even when their attention is drawn to the bad habits.
She also said some women would go as far as fighting any one that would speak against their children on their substance misuse habits or attitude.
Fatima however, attributed hardship and poverty as one of the challenges also leading some women into drug abuse, making them set the pace for their children.
She therefore, appealed to mothers to be patient and prayerful for things to change positively, while calling on mothers to open up and seek help whenever they notice a change in the life of their children.
Accordingly, Mrs. Ikpegbu Eunice Ifesinachi of the foundation who spoke at length on the effects of tobacco and substance abuse on women, pregnancy, children and family, describing it as disheartening.
She said any substance use that affects the body negatively should be avoided, stressing that tobacco is dangerous to the user’s lungs, skin and affects the general well-being.
Ifesinachi further explained that tobacco and substance intake could affect a pregnant woman through the umbilical cord, where there’s restriction in blood flow, which could lead to still birth and infant mortality.
She added that drug abuse does not solve issues, but only compounds them.
Mrs. Ifesinachi also lectured the women on the importance of a sound mind as mothers, stressing the need for them to think clearly. “You need a sound mind, free of drug influence,” she added.
She also said that tobacco smoking is a window to other substances when users become tolerant and addicted, adding that, “the users can do anything to get reach of their content, even if it means to lie, take, rob, even with weapons, and it also enhances social vices.
“So say no and a big no to tobacco and substance use today in order to save the life of the unborn baby and your health and also for your good reputation in the community,” she advised.
A community leader, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim (Sarkin Gabas) who benefitted from the Recovery Allies Training organized by the foundation, who also witnessed the occasion, said, “I thank the foundation for coming and opening the eyes of the women on the dangers of tobacco and other substances.”
He said women are more organized and can easily connect to each other whenever there is a beneficial programme like this.
According to him, “The tobacco and substance abstinence club is going to be in different units in their areas for the married women, the unmarried ladies, and the youth.
He promised to keep an eye to the well- being of the community, even as one Rukaiya, the community’s Women Leader thanked the foundation for coming to open their eyes of the women on their roles to help reduce the prevalence of tobacco use and drugs abuse in Alkalawa Road community Tudun Wada.
The Secretary to the District Head of Gwagwada and the Coordinator of Hausa programme of the Eye Opener Foundation, Mallam Lawal Magaji (Mabudin Gwagwada) on his side, drew the attention of the women on what their faith is saying about substances abuse.
He advised the mother to feed their children well and take good care of their homes.
The tobacco and substance abstinence club’s branded jacket was presented to the women leader, and the foundation promised to give every active member the jacket.
The President of the foundation, Mrs Margaret Julius, told the Tudun Wada women that everyone will one day give account to their creator on how she raised and cared for her children.
Margaret said that children are God’s treasures, adding that tobacco is indeed a threat to “our community thus all hands must be on deck to curtail its negative impact on people in the society.”
