wfn.org | Re: United Methodist Daily News note 430

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Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (440
notes).

Note 439 by UMNS on Nov. 6, 1997 at 16:25 Eastern (2281 characters).

TITLE:	Substance Abuse Program Reaches Africa

Contact:  Joretta Purdue  	627(10-31-71B){439}
		Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722  	Nov. 6, 1997

United Methodist Church expands
substance abuse program to Africa

by Shanta M. Bryant*

	WASHINGTON, (UMNS)-- The United Methodist Program on Substance Abuse and
Related Violence has expanded its prevention and intervention work into the
continent of Africa with the funding of an initiative for teen-agers in Ghana.
	The Methodist Church of Ghana has been awarded a $20,000 grant to develop a
program to train pastors and laity to respond to an increase in substance
abuse by Ghanian youth.
	Youth leaders will be trained as peer counselors to work in junior and senior
secondary schools on the prevention and awareness of alcohol and other drug
issues. The cities of Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast have been selected as the
training sites.
	Young people will be an integral part of the planning and development of a
curriculum and training resources.
	"I think that the cost is huge if drug abuse is not interrupted at an early
age," said the Rev. Joseph Ghunney, a Ghanian who will be the program
coordinator. "Prevention and education will help protect young people from
drug abuse."
	The government is not doing enough to educate youth about the dangers of
drugs and alcohol, said Ghunney, who was previously associate pastor at First
United Methodist Church in Hyattsville, Md., and was a drug addiction
counselor for a Maryland comprehensive drug program.
	He reported that in the last five years drugs such as marijuana and heroin
have been imported into Ghana, causing the teen drug problem to steadily
worsen.  High unemployment and the disintegration of the extended family in
rural areas have also contributed to the crisis among youth.
	Leadership of the international substance abuse program plan to form a
network in Africa around alcohol and other drug issues in Liberia, Zimbabwe
and the Democratic Republic of Congo by the year 2000. The United Methodist
program already has international efforts in Northern Europe, Germany and
Russia Central Conferences.
	# # #
	* Bryant is the program director of communications for the United Methodist
Board of Church and Society and associate editor of Christian Social Action.

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