Breaking the Chain: Giving Ghana’s Youth a Chance to Live Again

Seventeen-year-old Kofi used to dream of becoming a mechanic in Sunyani. But those dreams slowly faded the day a friend offered him a “small pill” to help him stay awake during night work at the lorry station. Within months, tramadol became the only thing that mattered. School no longer made sense. His mother—already struggling to feed their family—watched helplessly as her once-vibrant son slipped into addiction, depression, and aggression.

Kofi’s story is not unique. It is the story of thousands of young people across Ghana’s urban slums and rural communities.
Today, 1 in 5 Ghanaian youth aged 10–24 misuse a substance, according to national surveys. In places where hope is already scarce, tramadol, codeine, marijuana, and cheap alcohol are easier to find than accurate information or support.
Peer pressure, joblessness, and poverty push these young people toward substances that promise escape—but deliver devastation.

Hospitals across the country are feeling the impact. The Mental Health Authority reports that 30% of youth mental health admissions are linked to substance use. In school corridors, a silent crisis is unfolding: 1 in 4 students in Greater Accra and Ashanti have tried an illicit substance, many unaware of the lifelong consequences.

And yet—behind every statistic is a young person like Kofi, whose potential is being stolen.

This is why we created Breaking the Chain, a bold, five-year national initiative to stop youth substance abuse before it destroys more lives. We are building a movement of prevention, education, treatment, and community action. We are training youth champions, strengthening families, creating safe spaces, and partnering with schools, health centers, and law enforcement to support recovery and resilience.

With your support, we can help thousands of young people reclaim their futures—and write new stories of hope, strength, and second chances.

Together, we can break the chain.