Pure Passion Motivates Nigerian Anti-Drug Advocate to Reach Youth With Truth
An accomplished electrical engineer and non-governmental organization consultant, Daniel Chukwudike’s own success was assured. He is happy after devoting his life to helping others.
When Daniel Chukwudike witnessed his childhood friend drop out of university due to marijuana abuse and then die an untimely death, he made it his purpose to help youth. He says he aimed to “maximize their God-given talents and achieve their potentials without the negative effects of drugs.”
He went on to found Initiative for Drug Demand Reduction and Abuse Prevention. When he later discovered the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, he expanded his program: “The materials have been an enormous help because, not just hearing from me alone, they also read, watch the documentary and finally decide to quit drug abuse.”
More than that, he also found a worldwide “family” that shares his passion. Seeing a DFW newsletter article on the prodigious work of Mario Chirinos in Venezuela, he wrote: “By next month, I will restart my own campaign here in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and try to do better than Mario Chirinos.”
He has since made DFW his full-time activity, through mass booklet distribution, a regular radio program, inter-school essay and debate competitions, and Truth About Drugs presentations in schools. In just two years, he has delivered to 143 schools, started drug-free clubs in each and reached 7,100 students. He has reached thousands more through distributions and media.
“When we visited one community, during our presentation, about 50 drug addicts decided to quit smoking marijuana, and we have followed up on them so they will not indulge in drug abuse.”
As some are already using drugs, he works beyond just prevention: “When we visited one community, during our presentation, about 50 drug addicts decided to quit smoking marijuana, and we have followed up on them so they will not indulge in drug abuse.”
A highly sought-after consultant, businessman and motivational speaker, it is his drug prevention work Daniel values most.
“It’s something I have a passion for and love to do—to reach out to the young ones so they will not derail from the real truth about drugs. I am eager to break and shatter the glass ceiling that society has set for Nigerians.
“I truly believe I can make a difference.”
FACTS
THE TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS
The Truth About Drugs program includes an array of educational materials.
14
BOOKLETS
teaching the truth about the most commonly abused drugs
17
SHORT VIDEOS
dispelling the most common lies dealers tell potential users
111
MINUTES
of documentary film, featuring former addicts sharing their stories
22
LANGUAGES
in which the Truth About Drugs materials are translated and available
16
MILLION BOOKLETS
distributed in the last year alone
SAVE YOUNG LIVES
Support the Foundation for a Drug-Free World and help protect young lives from the destructive effects of drugs. Your contributions enable us to make our educational materials available free of charge to schools, youth organizations and other groups and individuals. Your support helps empower people with the facts they need to live healthy, drug-free lives.
