Date: August 2024 · Location: Senior High Schools across Ghana · Reach: 30+ schools, ~8,000 students
Phase 2 of Red Alert: Say No to Drug Abuse took the lessons from the Phase 1 pilot and scaled the programme into more regions of Ghana, with deeper peer-mentor follow-up and expanded school coverage. The campaign reached an estimated 8,000 students across 30+ schools.
What changed from Phase 1
- Wider geographic coverage: from Greater Accra in Phase 1 to multiple regions in Phase 2.
- Returning peer-mentor cohort: 60 trained mentors from Phase 1 returned to lead sessions, with 120 new mentors trained.
- Curriculum upgrade: classroom dialogues were expanded with structured modules on tramadol, codeine misuse, and synthetic drugs.
- Referral pathway: formalised a process for students to discreetly seek support, including a list of partner clinics and counsellors.
- Recurring touchpoints: each school received three visits over the term instead of a one-off assembly.
Programme components
- Assemblies opened the campaign at each school, framed by a MAGA Foundation team member and a peer mentor.
- Classroom dialogues were led by peer mentors with a MAGA facilitator, in groups of 30–40 students.
- Peer-mentor training ran on weekends — covering active listening, signs of dependency, harm reduction, and safeguarding.
- Family-engagement evenings brought parents into the conversation in three pilot schools.
Outcomes
Phase 2 broadened the campaign’s reach roughly threefold compared to Phase 1, while deepening engagement through repeat school visits. Anonymous post-session surveys showed strong shifts in student awareness of harm-reduction principles and an uptick in students saying they would now feel comfortable asking a peer mentor for help.
What’s next
Phase 3 is in design. Priorities include: extending into more regions, integrating Red Alert into school health curricula via partnerships with the Ghana Education Service and the Narcotics Control Commission, and piloting a parallel out-of-school version for apprenticeship and vocational programmes. Volunteer or partner with us to be part of Phase 3.