Gardnersville- Hope for Young People Incorporated (HOFOYO) has officially launched its Campus Ambassador Club Program, a youth-led national initiative designed to prevent drug abuse and teenage pregnancy among high school students across Liberia.
The program was unveiled during a well-attended ceremony that brought together students, educators, government institutions, civil society actors, and development partners. The launch marks a major step in Liberia’s efforts to confront substance abuse and other risky behaviors affecting young people.
Research-Driven Response to a Growing Crisis
Presenting an overview of the initiative, HOFOYO Executive Director Thomas Tamba Bundoo said the Campus Ambassador Club Program was developed following extensive community-based research conducted in 2022.
“Our findings showed that 85 percent of young people currently abusing drugs started during their high school years, largely due to peer pressure,” Bundoo disclosed. “The research also established a strong link between teenage pregnancy and inadequate guidance, limited life-skills education, and weak peer-support systems.”
Although conceived in 2022, implementation was delayed by funding challenges. The project has now been realized with support from Ambassador Leymah Roberta Gbowee through the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, with implementation assistance from Paramount Young Women Initiative.
The six-month pilot phase targets 10 high schools in Gardnersville and Barnersville Townships, where 50 selected students have been trained as Campus Ambassadors to serve as peer educators and advisors.
UL President Delivers Keynote
Delivering the keynote address, University of Liberia President Dr. Layli Phillips Maparyan described the initiative as “timely, strategic, and deeply necessary,” stressing that educational institutions must go beyond academics to shape character, leadership, and responsible citizenship.
“The statistics before us are sobering,” Dr. Maparyan said. “These are not just numbers; they represent lives diverted, dreams deferred, and families affected. This program recognizes a critical truth — young people listen to their peers.”
She reaffirmed the University of Liberia’s commitment to supporting national efforts to curb drug abuse and teenage pregnancy, emphasizing prevention, empowerment, and mentorship as pillars for safeguarding Liberia’s future.
Ambassadors Share Testimonies
Speaking on behalf of the trained ambassadors, Mary S. Nimely described the training as “intensive, practical, and transformational.”
“We learned about drug abuse prevention, teenage pregnancy prevention, leadership, advocacy, and positive peer engagement,” Nimely said, noting that the experience strengthened their confidence, ethics, and sense of responsibility.
“Today, we stand not just as students, but as ambassadors of change,” she added.
A Holistic, Youth-Led Approach
Under the program, Campus Ambassadors will spearhead school-based awareness campaigns, peer counseling sessions, community dialogues, and anti-drug advocacy activities. The initiative will also feature a High School Anti-Drug Sports Tournament to promote healthy competition and constructive alternatives to substance abuse, though HOFOYO says additional funding is still being sought to fully implement the sports component.
The launch ceremony concluded with a colorful anti-drug parade through the streets of Gardnersville, symbolizing youth leadership, unity, and collective responsibility.
Call for Collective Action
HOFOYO says the Campus Ambassador Club Program embodies a whole-of-society approach, calling on government, civil society, families, schools, and communities to work together. With trained student leaders at the forefront, the organization aims to foster safer schools, informed students, and a generation empowered to make healthy life choices.
“When we invest in young people early,” Bundoo said, “we are not just preventing harm — we are building Liberia’s future.”
