Mask Up In Solidarity: Support Don’t Punish, Accra – 2020

Leading organisation: Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Ghana

Supporting organisations: Zongo Youth Movement, Happy Smiles Foundation

Contact: [email protected]

The activities will focus on reaching out in solidarity, with care during this pandemic to vulnerable groups, young people and marginalized communities experiencing stigma, criminalization, social and economic exclusion owing to drug use and its associated matters.

2020 Day of Action activities were divided into three phases:

1. TV and radio Media engagements
   The team in Accra had the opportunity to visit two television and three radio stations for its media engagements.
   This included, a live TV interview session with the biggest State Owned popular television station called Ghana Television (GTV) as well as another interview on PENT TV, a popular Christian television channel in Ghana.
   This was followed by other series of Radio interviews including with the biggest known campus radio station called Radio Univers and other national radio stations including Unique FM and Oman FM to speak about Drug related issues and the SDP campaign.
   
2. Social media photo challenge
   The team in Accra and Bawku took pictures and videos with friends, families, colleagues, and general citizens holding and endorsing the support don’t punish campaign flyers and cards, which was then widely circulated on social media pages
3. Solidarity outreach campaign to vulnerable and known drug users communities
   SSDP Ghana finally hopes to embark on an outreach campaign in collaboration with other supporting youth led groups such as Youth Rise Ghana, Zongo Youth Movement, and Happy Smiles Foundation in August. The campaign will focus on reaching out in solidarity and care during this pandemic to vulnerable groups, young people and marginalized communities experiencing stigma, criminalization, social and economic exclusion owing to drug use and its associated matters.