MADAM-SL and Bread for the World Donate Relief Items to Kush Victims in Makeni

By Mohamed J Conteh | Beline Media Empire

Makeni, Sierra Leone — October 3, 2025: Mankind's Activities for Development Accreditation Movement (MADAM) in partnership with Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World), has extended a lifeline to victims of kush addiction in Makeni through the donation of essential food and non-food items. The donation took place on Moses Conteh Street, where dozens of young people are currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Action for the Rehabilitation of Drug Victims (ARDV) centre.

The support included bags of rice, toiletries, sanitary items, clothing, medicines, buckets, bedding machines and assorted food supplies aimed at improving the wellbeing of recovering kush users and supporting the centre's rehabilitation efforts.

Speaking at the event, MADAM-SL’s representative, Madam Salamatu Hannah Conteh Lansana, said the organization’s intervention is motivated by compassion and a collective commitment from all sectors of society.

“Kush has destroyed so many young lives and torn families apart. This initiative is our way of saying, 'You are not alone.' With the help of Bread for the World and our Civil Peace Service partners, we are reaching out to restore hope, dignity, and purpose to those struggling with addiction” she said.

She further encouraged other civil society groups, government bodies, and private individuals to step forward and contribute to ongoing rehabilitation efforts, describing drug abuse as "a social emergency that cannot be ignored." 

Kush, a locally produced synthetic drug, has become a dangerous substance widely abused by young people across Sierra Leone. The substance often a mixture of harmful chemicals, including cannabis, fentanyl derivatives, toxic materials and even ground-up human bones or industrial materials has been linked to severe mental health conditions, brain damage, organ failure, hallucinations, and in some cases, death. Health experts have described it as one of the deadliest substances currently circulating among the youth.

Receiving the donation, CEO Gaza, fondly called, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to MADAM-SL and Bread for the World for their timely gesture. 

“Taking care of these young men and women is not an easy task. We face enormous challenges, from food shortages to lack of medical supplies. This support means a lot to us,” Gaza noted. “We call on other organizations, philanthropists, and the government to come on board. The fight against kush requires collective effort; without external help, sustaining this centre will remain difficult. These are our brothers and sisters, they need care, not condemnation.”

One of the recovering victims, Mohamed, shared his emotional testimony, describing how the addiction nearly destroyed his life.

“I lost everything because of kush. My family, my friends, my dignity. But now I’m fighting to live again. I want to thank MADAM-SL and Bread for the World for remembering us. Their support gives us hope that we are not forgotten,” he said tearfully.