NEW VIDEO
March 23, 2009 | Upper Marlboro
The group included two medical doctors, two nurses, counselors, clinical social workers and educators.The delegation was sponsored by the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau, a division of the State Department, headed up by Mr. Thom Browne, a seasoned diplomat and expert in the field of addiction for more than 30 years and a long time friend of Second Genesis. During the week the visitors studied the Second genesis curriculum, taking part in workshops, sessions and group therapy. This international learning experience was part of the United States Global Initiative to provide drug abuse treatment services for the special needs of drug addicted women and children living in Afghanistan and Kenya. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, more than 93% of the opium produced for the world’s illicit narcotics markets comes from Afghanistan. Many Afghan women are too ashamed to come into treatment. Many mothers become the sole caretakers of children after their husbands have died in combat from recent wars with Russia and the United States. This prevents them from entering addiction treatment. In Kenya, the major drugs are alcohol, marijuana with an increase in the use of heroin in the Coastal region of the country. While there are several treatment centers there is still the huge challenge of raising awareness and money. None of the treatment centers in Kenya are funded by the government leaving the entire burden to individuals. Although there were clear religious and cultural differences between Second Genesis’s American clients and the visitors from Afghanistan and Kenya, the overwhelming desire to keep mothers in treatment with their children is a universal cross-cultural given. Healthy familial bonding is intrinsic to a successful recovery for both the addicted mother and the traumatized child whether it is in war torn Afghanistan or the inner city of Baltimore or Washington, DC.
