Dubai police train Yemeni youth to fight drugs [Archives:2006/1011/Reportage]
December 28 2006
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“Give youth the opportunity to develop society because they're capable of building their society, as well as leading it,” says Ahmed Zaafan, guardian of the Future Protectors project and coordinator of the Right Start Foundation in the Middle East.
Yemeni youth are joining forces to fight drugs in Yemen. Future Protectors, an international youth NGO, organized a Dec. 16-23 training course for Yemeni youth to learn about drug addiction and how to fight it.
Life Makers Foundation in Yemen selected volunteers working on the Future Protectors project from seven governorates: Aden, Taiz, Dhamar, Hajjah, Hodeidah, Hadramout/Mukalla and Sana'a, to participate in the course, which was held under the auspices of Deputy Minister of Interior Mutahar Rashad Al-Masri.
The course aimed to qualify trainers, who will undertake the responsibility to train other volunteers working in the same field in Yemen. In each country, someone is authorized to be in charge of directing the project and training courses.
Dubai police prepared the course materials and developed the training methods. The World Health Organization is in charge of reviewing the Future Protectors project, while Metro, which is located in Dubai, is responsible for evaluating the project.
The idea for the entire project was that of Amer Khalid, head of the Right Start Foundation and Chairman of its Board of Trustees.
The project aims to protect youths from becoming addicted to drugs. Established in 2003 and registered as a charity organization in early 2005, Right Start Foundation works to promote the role of the family, focusing on solving family problems alongside empowering youth.
Right Start aims to assist in integrating ethnic minority groups into the wider society by initiating a number of unique projects and courses to provide volunteers necessary skills and training, thus enabling them to make a difference in their communities.
Courses are run in partnership with the United Nations of Drug Crimes, Dubai Police, West Midlands Police, Drug Concern, the National Health Organization and the Mentor organization.
Dubai police officers Saleh Morad and Ibrahim Al-Dabel contributed to training volunteers in Yemen and Arab nations as a whole, as well as being in charge of preparing course materials.
Morad explained, “The course program involved two parts, the first of which were presentation and communication skills, wherein we aimed to prepare lecturers, who have the ability to convince listeners. The second part regarded a team and its leader, providing information about characteristics of a leader, organizing a team and how to obtain financial resource to support a team project. At the end of the course, each team presented a project capable of being achieved in real life. There were 60 trainers and each team consisted of 10 members.”
Zaafan enthusiastically described the system Right Start follows. “We intend to use youths' time more effectively, as well as help them to be positive wherever they are, whether in university, school or in anywhere else. Therefore, we work to form teams at each public gathering to caution others about the harms of drugs, smoking, etc. This system is called, 'Peer pressure,' as we train youths to be the cautioners of their peers because young people greatly affect those who are similar to their age, to some extent.”
The course was the 20th instigated in the Arab world in general and the second launched in Yemen. Zaafan said there are 800 well-versed volunteers in 12 Arab countries and the U.N. is the 31st organization. Additionally, 800 volunteer trainers and 63 Yemeni trainers have been awarded certificates by the U.N. regional office, Right Start Foundation, the supreme command of the Dubai police office and Life Makers Foundation.
“Such numbers indicate the success and improvement of the Future Protectors project,” Zaafan noted, “This project is leveled to be the best project for cultivating youth in Arab nations. It's also a message to unify all nations' efforts. Here in Yemen, youths came to the course from different governorates and received training to promote their society.
He continued, “We're also in Egypt, where Christians and Muslims are working in the same field and share a similar concern – improving society and fighting drug addiction. I think this is one of the most important issues the West and East have agreed to fight.
“Moreover, international statistics regarding addicts policemen have detained are 30 percent. Therefore, we're working hand in hand to complete the police role. They're decreasing the number of those offering drugs and we're working to decrease the number of those requesting drugs,” Zaafan pointed out.
Abdullah Al-Akwa'a, deputy of the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum, hopes for more cooperation between youth and police. “This is a national effort represented in Life Makers Foundation to contribute to facing the worst epidemic from which all nations suffer. We hope for more competition in this field and more cooperation between youths and such foundations,” he added.
Saba'a Al-Harazi, leader of the Future Protectors team in Taiz, came to take the course in order to become more capable in achieving future projects. “This past year, we worked to fight smoking. We're conducting the first scientific research to identify the pitfalls and problems we'll face and working on them, taking a realistic process,” she explained, “We also study the rule that prevents smoking and consequently, we use it to fulfill our aim. After that, the programs we're going to follow became lucid.”
She continued, “My future project is to make cinematographic cultivation against drugs using a cinema van. Because pictures have more influence than lecture, I've begun preparing a 20-minute documentary film about drugs; however, financing remains the only obstacle. Once I find the financing, my future project will come true.”
Future Protectors volunteer Abeer Al-Thahibi added, “I feel I've done something for my society.”
Right Start Foundation International recognizes the need for youth and ethnic minority communities to be proactive in a positive integration process.
Right Start has instigated similar projects around the Arab world and such proactive participation from youth and individuals has been outstanding. Rallies, literature, songs, foundation training courses and numerous other activities have resulted from projects Right Start Foundation International has offered.
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