AVSI-IDA Rwanda in partnership with Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) and Enabel co-organized workshops with authorities from the seven districts of interventions of Barame project, from 12-16 December 2022, to discuss strategies to strengthen the anti-drug committees for prevention and social reintegration of former drug users.

The workshops were organized following the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government, to come up with strategies to strengthen the anti-drug committees, including co-developing a work plan through which such committees will implement their activities at the community level. 

Seven anti-drug committees shall be strengthened at district level and 105 committees at sector level, equaling the total number of sectors in the seven districts of the project’s intervention.  The work plans which are co-developed with the district provide guidance to the established anti-drug committees to implement activities related to community information and mobilization aiming at drug abuse prevention and the social reintegration of former drug users.  

Under the funding from Enabel, the Joint-venture of AVSI Rwanda and IDA Rwanda have been implementing the Barame project entitled “The Preparation and Implementation of a Comprehensive Awareness Program towards Drugs and Substance Abuse and Comprehensive Approach towards Social Reintegration of the Drug Users, for Adolescents, in Gakenke, Gisagara, Karongi, Nyamasheke, Nyarugenge, Rulindo, and Rusizi districts.

The project seeks to raise awareness towards preventing drugs and substance abuse in the seven districts, and to facilitate the social reintegration of former drug users aged 10-24 years into their families and communities.
The project is being implemented with the technical support of the Mental Health Division of RBC and its activities include “Strengthening of established anti-drug committees from district up to the cell level”, by developing and organizing ongoing programs for prevention of drug abuse, treatment and rehabilitation, supply reduction at community level.