The New Life Recovery Center (NLRC) say they want the Liberian government to allot funds to assist institutions and organizations involved in the rehabilitation and training of disadvantaged youths in the country.
According to the Executive Director of NLRC, Jefferson Knight, some of the huge money spent on legislative engagements for lawmakers could be redirected to rehabilitate the thousands of disadvantaged youths exposed to drugs and crime.
Director Knight made the statement at the graduation of six disadvantaged youths after undergoing one year of rehabilitation and training at the New Life Recovery Center, located in Sundaygar Town, Marshall Road, Margibi County.
According to him, the New Life Recovery Center is only rehabilitating boys at present, but the management of the institution is currently constructing an eight-room annex in order to bring girls from the streets to benefit from the program.
He noted that the center would like to increase the number of disadvantaged youths for rehabilitation but cannot do so due to the inadequate resources.
The New Life Recovery Center Executive Director explained that about 80 disadvantaged youths have passed through the walls of the New Life Recovery Center, and 500 others have befitted from the program since it started some years ago.
Knight said, “There is a need to introduce strong drug laws that will deal severely with people importing these dangerous substances in order to curb the proliferation of drugs and criminal activities in the country.”
Delivering the keynote address at the program, a youth advocate, Pauline Gartor, emphasized the need for parents and the leaders to do all they can in rehabilitating disadvantaged youths in the country.
Speaking on theme, “Transforming the Future through the Prevention of Drug Abuse”, Gartor said the present generation of leaders will be held responsible if the thousands of disadvantaged youths are not rehabilitated.
She called on the Legislature, the Judiciary and the Executive branches of the government and international nongovernmental organizations to buttress the efforts by the New Life Recovery Center in the rehabilitation of disadvantaged youths in the country.
According to her, thousands of young people are falling to drug abuse on a daily basis, and 31 percent of school dropouts are projected to fall prey if robust action is not taken as quickly as possible.
Also speaking during the program, a member of the Board of the New Life Recovery Center, Esther Grant, who graced the occasion as a part of birthday celebration, cautioned the youths against returning to ghettos because it has the propensity of damaging their future.
Grant encouraged parents and guardians to support the youths in order that they do not return to bad friends who exposed them to criminal activities and drugs. Giving their testimonies, some of the youths explained how they used to arm-rob, hijack and raid business people under the cover of darkness.
They promised never to return to the ghetto because they have been given religious education and baptized by the pastor of the church, which they have attended during their stay at the center.
Many of the parents, guardians and relatives who graced the occasion thanked Jefferson Knight for helping to transform their loved ones.