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Archive -Seychelles

Peer educators receive certificate |24 January 2018

 

 

 

 

Some 20 past drug users, recovering addicts and other volunteers have received their certificate upon completing a peer education programme.

This week-long training programme led by the Agency for Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation (APDAR) served to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills to reach out to drug users in our community and to support the young people in making the right and healthy life decisions.

The presentation ceremony took place last Friday at the STC conference room in the presence of the secretary of state responsible for Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation Dr Patrick Herminie, the chief executive (CEO) of APDAR Beryl Naiken and other members of APDAR. 

The various topics during the training included illicit drugs and drug use, comorbidities, HIV/Aids, Hepatitis C, needle exchange programme, peer educators and ethics, harm reduction, outreach, treatments available, understanding addiction, triggers, craving and relapse prevention, acute opiate intoxification, overdose prevention and opiate withdrawal.

The participants were also able to apply their newly gained skills on the field where they were dispatched into groups to various ghettos where it is believed to have major drug problems.

Dr Herminie congratulated this group of peer educators as drugs have an indirect effect on each one of us.

“The fact that at the end of the training everyone is still here shows the determination you have to try and resolve the drug problem in our community,” he said. 

He said they have the intention to train new groups of peer educators every two months to provide knowledge to more people about this issue.

“Sometimes people are against or criticise our programme because they are ignorant on the subject but once they are made aware of the situation then they are open about it and the more people are equipped with knowledge the stronger  a fight we can uphold against the drug problem,” he said.

He said this fight is one which we cannot afford to lose as it would mean we have failed future generations.

“We should be proud to be the soldiers who are at the frontier trying to put a full stop to this crisis,” he said.

A volunteer, Elvis Morel, who is the cabin manager at Air Seychelles, said the training was very fruitful as the topics were very relevant to the drug problem Seychelles faces.

“The interaction with the past drug users together with the nurses, teachers and other Air Seychelles employees was very interesting and we were able to work together to address the topics at hand,” he said.

He said he might not be able to help the community at large but his target is to at least make a difference in one person’s life.

Nathalie Antoine, who is a past drug user, said they learned how to reach out to drug users and also those who are at risk of being inflicted with the drug problem.

“I came forward to give a helping hand as I am an ex-addict and I have not used for the past 12 years. This is an opportunity for me to show to current drug users that there is hope for recovery if they truly want to be treated,” she said.

Aside from Mrs Naiken, the training was conducted by Dr Winnie Low- Wah, Michelle Sabury, Fadette Estico, Bryna Adonis and Marie Helene Morel.

 

 

 

 

 

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