Twenty five young women have graduated from the Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration after successfully completing a six month program focused on detoxification, psychosocial counseling and rehabilitation.
The Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration was established by Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon with the goal of rehabilitating and reintegrating victims of illicit drugs and substance abuse into society at no cost to beneficiaries.
Since its establishment, the center has served as a refuge for vulnerable young people who were previously abandoned by their families and communities due to addiction. The latest group of graduates, drawn from Montserrado County, Grand Bassa County and other parts of the country, formed the seventh cycle of the program.
During their stay at the facility, the young women received vocational and life skills training in areas including pastry making, soap production, computer science and basic entrepreneurship, aimed at preparing them for productive and independent lives after rehabilitation.
The graduation ceremony was held in Paynesville outside Monrovia on Monday, January 19, and was attended by parents, guardians, community members and supporters of the program. Speaking at the ceremony, Senator Dillon acknowledged the moral and financial contributions of individuals and institutions both within Liberia and in the diaspora that continue to support the operation of the center.
He praised the commitment and sacrifices of the management and staff of the facility, including medical doctors, nurses, dieticians, counselors, contact tracers and security personnel, noting that their dedication has helped transform lives that many had given up on.
According to Senator Dillon, the rehabilitation center was created to give hope to Liberians who have been rejected by society and even by their own families. He emphasized that the success stories emerging from the program demonstrate that recovery and reintegration are possible with the right support.
“These are living testimonials of what we do here,” Senator Dillon said. “One of our clients came here and said she had been on drugs for ten years, but today she is back in school. What we are doing at this center is about restoring life and showing that change is possible. These young women you see today were once abandoned by society, friends and families, and many had given up on themselves, but today they are being reintegrated.”
He further disclosed that the center remains committed to following up on all graduates to ensure they do not relapse into substance abuse. He noted that several former beneficiaries have already been accepted back into their families and communities and are now employed or pursuing education.
“Some of them are working already,” Senator Dillon added. “One parent called from New Jersey and told us that her grandson was once on drugs, came through this center, recovered and is now living in the United States going to college. Another graduate from here is now working as a consultant at the Ministry of Education.”
Senator Dillon assured the public that the center operates without political or religious discrimination and remains open to all Liberians in need of rehabilitation. He said the initiative is driven purely by a desire to serve humanity and restore dignity to disadvantaged youth across the country.
“We do not politicize this place,” he stated. “We do not care about tribe or religion. We have taken people from Margibi, Bong, Grand Bassa and other counties. We are doing this simply because we can help.”
One of the graduating students expressed deep gratitude to Senator Dillon and the staff of the center, describing the experience as life changing. “Before coming here, I felt like my life was finished and nobody cared about me,” she said. “Senator Dillon gave us hope when everyone else rejected us, and today I am leaving with skills, confidence and a new vision for my future.”
Another graduate said the support she received helped her reconnect with her family and rebuild her self-worth. “This center saved my life,” she stated. “Senator Dillon believed in us when society called us names, and now I am ready to go back and prove that change is real.”
Parents and guardians of the graduates also took turns praising Senator Dillon for his compassion and commitment to restoring broken lives. A mother of one of the rehabilitated young women recounted years of pain and humiliation before her child entered the program.
“In my community they used to call me a zogo mother,” she said. “People laughed at me and my child because of drugs, but Senator Dillon took my daughter when nobody wanted her. Today I am proud again as a mother, and I thank him for giving my child a second chance.”
Another parent described the center as a blessing to struggling families across Liberia. “If not for this program, my child would probably be dead,” he said. “Senator Dillon did not ask for money or politics, he only asked that we believe in change, and today we are seeing the results.”
The parents encouraged the graduates to remain focused, avoid returning to substance abuse and stay committed to their faith and newly acquired skills. They expressed hope that the young women would serve as ambassadors in their communities, discouraging others in the streets and ghettos from engaging in drugs and destructive behavior.
Recruitment for new beneficiaries is currently ongoing at the center, which continues to provide detoxification, medical care and nutritious meals to its residents three times daily. Despite receiving no direct budgetary support from the Government of Liberia, the Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration remains operational through donations and voluntary support.
Since its launch, the initiative spearheaded by Senator Dillon has positively transformed the lives of more than one hundred Liberians, many of whom were once homeless and marginalized due to drug addiction. The center continues to stand as a symbol of hope, recovery and second chances for vulnerable youth across the country.