By Muallem Kamara, Research Coordinator, Institute for Development
Although ACRC’s funding of action research in Freetown on the synthetic drug, kush, came to an end in September 2025, its legacy continues. There is ongoing work to address the challenges of reducing kush use, building on the gains of the action research.
A reform coalition of community groups and the Institute for Development (IfD) is continuing to take action on the impacts of kush, which are still deeply felt across the city.
Youth task force
The Olonsoroh community has become a key focal point for community-led initiatives. A youth task force is continuing sensitisation and awareness-raising, as well as working directly with the security sector to provide intelligence to the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency.
The youth task force, made up of eight men and four women, is engaging in prevention activities such as school visits. They also hold regular discussions with stakeholders on progress and challenges in the fight to reduce kush use in the community.
To enhance sustainability, the youth group have been supported with an income-generating scheme to help them continue their mobilisation. A tricycle (kekeh), used locally as a means of transportation, was provided, together with a small team to manage the funds it generates.
To continue this intervention, IfD was able to secure funds from the Wellcome Trust for a two-year intervention research project in Olosoroh and Kailahun (in eastern Sierra Leone). This initiative will build on the gains from the ACRC project, by empowering young people at risk of kush use with apprenticeship skills, as well as providing them with psychosocial support.
On a quarterly basis, IfD is also convening a broader set of reform coalition partners, including: the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse, Ministry of Social Welfare, the police and representatives from the Bike Riders Union, a local community chief, students and community health workers.
National Evidence Summit
The IfD hosts an annual National Evidence Summit, designed to inform policymakers on the latest evidence and insights. During the summit in February, an event was held to bring together a diverse group – including government officials, local community leaders and NGO representatives – to discuss the results of the ACRC research on kush.
These conversations sparked a significant shift in perspective, which highlighted the need for a more human-centred approach to the crisis. During the summit, stakeholders, including members of the Olonsoroh community, engaged directly with the Director of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services and the Director of Drugs. They discussed both immediate and long-term strategies for addressing the impact of kush.
As part of the session, Ismail Ibraheem, ACRC’s uptake director, explained the consortium’s theory of change as well as its uptake strategy. He also shared practical examples from similar research in Maiduguri, Nigeria, illustrating how evidence can effectively shape drug policy and community support.
Header photo credit: Abdulai Sayni / Unsplash. A busy street in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Note: This article presents the views of the authors featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the African Cities Research Consortium as a whole.
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