By Emma Black
The devastating rise in drug abuse, particularly the use of kush, continues to destroy the lives of Sierra Leone’s young people, leaving communities in mourning and the streets littered with victims. Concerned citizen and activist Munya Bawoh, popularly known as “Small Motor with Big Engine,” has made a passionate public appeal to international organizations to intervene as the nation grapples with what many now describe as a national emergency.
In a strongly worded message, Bawoh expressed deep frustration and disappointment over what he described as the failure of national leadership to address the worsening drug crisis. “If you are a Sierra Leonean like me, shame on you,” he lamented. “Our youths are dying every day from kush, and our leaders are doing nothing meaningful to stop it.”
According to recent reports cited by Bawoh, the Freetown City Council has collected over 220 bodies of young people who allegedly died as a result of kush consumption. This figure, he noted, does not include the countless others living with severe physical and mental health complications—many of whom roam the streets untreated, with visible sores and deteriorating conditions.
Bawoh called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international health agencies to urgently step in and help curb the crisis. “Please come and save my people,” he pleaded. “I love this country so much that I cannot sit and watch our young generation perish like this.”
He also highlighted the critical shortage of qualified mental health and substance abuse professionals in Sierra Leone, emphasizing that existing interventions are insufficient. “Those who are working in mental health here are not specialized in substance abuse treatment,” he explained. “A few classes or short trainings cannot equip someone to handle complex cases of addiction or mental illness. These are specialized fields that require in-depth expertise.”
Bawoh extended an open invitation to Sierra Leonean mental health professionals living abroad to collaborate and develop strategies to tackle the growing drug crisis. “If you’re in the mental health field and outside the country, please reach out to me,” he urged. “Let’s brainstorm and find ways to help our people.”
In his emotional appeal, he called for global attention, warning that without immediate action, the situation will spiral further out of control. “The world must wake up,” he said. “My people are dying we need help now.”
The message has since resonated widely on social media, sparking renewed public debate about the government’s response to the kush epidemic and the urgent need for both national and international intervention to save Sierra Leone’s youth.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 15th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
