By Mohamed Konneh
Caritas Freetown has inaugurated a newly open Kush rehabilitation Center outside the capital Freetown.
The opening of this center was supported by Fundación Atabal, ONG Guaguacuna, Visión Sin Fronteras.
While inaugurating the center, Caritas Freetown Executive Director, Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh said. ‘’today is a day of hope. A day of healing. A day of new beginnings for our nation.
The Caritas Executive Director noted that the opening of the Kush Rehabilitation and Empowerment Centre is more than the commissioning of a building—it is a national statement that we refuse to give up on our young people.
‘’We refuse to watch addiction destroy our communities. We refuse to stand aside as families suffer in silence. We choose life. We choose dignity. We choose compassion,’’ Fr. Konteh said.
He said for many years, Caritas Freetown has worked at the frontlines of human suffering—from disaster response to child protection, from mental-health support to youth empowerment. The emergence of the kush epidemic has brought one of the most painful crises our country has faced. We have seen dreams lost,
Fr. Konteh pointed out that families broken, communities shaken and that the nation has also witnessed resilience, courage, and the unyielding desire of young men and women to rise again.
He said the centre is a collective response and a testimony that Sierra Leone cares
He thanked the international partners Fundación Atabal, ONG Guaguacuna, Visión Sin Fronteras—and to the Government of Sierra Leone through WARD-C, MOSW, MOGCA, NDLEA, the health sector, and district authorities, adding that they now have a structured, professional, and humane facility that provides: Medical and psychological care, counselling and trauma support, skills training and empowerment, reintegration pathways, and a safe environment for personal transformation.
‘’At Caritas Freetown, we believe that every person is created in the image of God, deserving of dignity, respect, and a second chance. No young person should be judged only by their addiction. Addiction is not a moral failure—it is a medical, psychological, and social challenge that requires structured care,’’ the Caritas Executive Director concluded.
Today, we open this centre not only with bricks and mortar, but with compassion, commitment, and love.
I want to thank our donors and partners for believing in this mission. Your solidarity reminds us that humanity has no borders. I thank our technical teams project managers, counsellors, social workers, medical staff, construction workers, and community volunteers who have worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life.
To the beneficiaries our sons, our brothers, our sisters this centre belongs to you. May it be a place of healing, a home of restoration, and a pathway to a brighter future. We will walk with you. We will not give up on you.
May this inauguration be the beginning of a stronger national movement to confront addiction, strengthen mental health services, and empower communities across Sierra Leone.
At Caritas Freetown, we believe that every person is created in the image of God, deserving of dignity, respect, and a second chance. No young person should be judged only by their addiction. Addiction is not a moral failure—it is a medical, psychological, and social challenge that requires structured care.
Today, we open this centre not only with bricks and mortar, but with compassion, commitment, and love.
Maya this inauguration be the beginning of a stronger national movement to confront addiction, strengthen mental health services, and empower communities across Sierra Leone.
