Empowering Youth for Peace: Tackling Substance Abuse and Social Unrest for Sustainable Development in Rural Communities

In Benue State, the struggle against violent conflict and the growing threat of substance abuse has become a defining challenge, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities. These twin issues not only endanger the future of young people but also undermine the prospects for peace, development, and social stability.

As part of our ongoing peacebuilding and youth development efforts under the SPRING Programme, GoGreen Environmental Health Sustainability Initiatives, in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), hosted a youth-led workshop aimed at curbing substance abuse and addressing the root causes of social unrest in rural communities.

This initiative aligns with SPRING’s mission to promote social cohesion, strengthen community resilience, and enhance youth participation in peacebuilding and governance processes in conflict-affected areas across Benue State.

Held across eight communities in Guma and Makurdi Local Government Areas, the workshop brought together over 400 youths and focused on:

• Raising awareness about the causes and consequences of drug and substance abuse,

• Identifying major conflict triggers specific to rural communities, and

• Promoting nonviolent strategies for conflict resolution.

Through engaging dialogue, peer learning, and interactive sessions, participants explored sustainable approaches to personal and community transformation. The goal: to empower youths not just as beneficiaries of peacebuilding efforts, but as active agents of positive change in their communities.

At GoGreen, we believe that a peaceful, resilient, and inclusive society can only be achieved when young people are given the tools, support, and platform to lead. This workshop is one of many steps we are taking to ensure that the future of Benue’s rural communities is one of opportunity, not instability.

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