Date: 2019-04-09

A Non-Governmental Organisation(NGO), Home and Street Kids Welfare Initiative (HSKi), says it will assist in the fight against drug abuse and addiction among the less privileged youths in Kwara.

Executive Director of the group, Miss Funmi Omisope, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Monday.

Omisope said that there were some less privileged youths in the society who needed help to get out of addiction, saying that some of them were involved owing to idleness and frustration.

She said that the group would embark on massive sensitisation and empowerment of such youths to keep them busy and reduce their involvement in such social ills.

"There are some youths around here in Koro Afoju, which is the community of the blind, that smoke, get high on spirits, and abuse drugs to the point of addiction, and we have HASAP (Hope Alive Skill Acquisition Programme) to assist such people.

"HASAP is a scheme under the NGO where we are committed to empowering youths for the betterment of the society.

"So, what we want to do for them is to organise a vocational training; because we think that when their minds and hands are occupied they will not think about indulging in those things.

"I have discussed with some of them by trying to disarm them and make them our friend first. These people love their freedom, and we are ready to teach them what they are willing to learn."

"We came like every other NGO to make donations to them, but on getting here, we realised they needed a lot more than food and clothing.

"They needed empowerment, education and sensitisation against the evils of drug peddling, abuse and addiction. (NAN)