Heaven's Home Joins the Fight Against Drug Abuse at #IDADA2026

On June 26th, Heaven's Home joined the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (#IDADA2026) procession, marching from Rwika Market to Jeremiah Nyagah National Polytechnic alongside officials from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), county administration, security agencies, and fellow community partners.

The event, held under the theme "World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses," brought together students, staff, and community members in a visible, public stand against substance abuse and trafficking. The procession closed at the polytechnic's gates, where students gathered for further awareness sessions on prevention and support.

Why we showed up

Substance abuse rarely stays contained to one person's life. It reaches into families, unravels years of progress a child has made in school, and often intersects directly with the kind of hardship our other programs already work to address. For Heaven's Home, joining this procession wasn't a one-off gesture, it was an extension of work we do quietly, year-round, through our Substance Abuse Awareness & Prevention Program.

"Substance abuse doesn't happen in isolation, it affects families, it affects the children we work with every day," said a member of our outreach team present at the event. "Being visible in these spaces matters. It tells young people that support exists, and that they don't have to face this alone."

A coordinated effort

What made this year's procession significant wasn't just the turnout, it was the range of institutions standing together. NACADA officials, county administration, security agencies, and health partners all marched alongside community organizations like ours, a reminder that substance abuse prevention isn't a single organization's job. It takes coordination across sectors that don't always work together: law enforcement, healthcare, education, and grassroots community groups.

At the polytechnic, students engaged directly with awareness materials and information sessions covering the risks of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as where to turn for help. For many young people, simply knowing that credible institutions are paying attention, and that recovery and support are real options, can be the first step toward reaching out.

Beyond the march

This kind of public visibility matters, but it's only part of the picture. Through our Substance Abuse Awareness & Prevention Program, our case workers are trained to recognize warning signs of substance abuse risk in the children and families we already serve, treating it as connected to, not separate from, the broader work of child protection and family support. A family under strain, a child showing signs of withdrawal or behavioral change, these are things our team watches for as part of everyday casework, not just on days like this one.

We're grateful to NACADA and the many partner organizations who made this year's procession possible, and we remain committed to showing up, year after year, until fewer families in our community have to face this struggle alone.

If you'd like to learn more about our Substance Abuse Awareness & Prevention Program or get involved in future outreach, visit our Programs page or reach out through our Contact page.