By Nenneh Fofanah
Freetown, 24th November 2025- Ibrahim Turay, a young Sierra Leonean, has completed a remarkable 26‑day walkathon from Kenema to Freetown, a journey he says was driven by his passion to raise awareness on drug abuse and to inspire young people across the country.
Turay began his trek in Kenema, where he was hosted by a college friend, before walking through Port Loko, onward to Lungi, and finally crossing by ferry into Freetown. His effort, he explained, was not about endurance alone but about spreading a message. “The messages are there, the impact is there, people have the evidence. They will tell you that I did not just walk past but I met young men from these communities and talked to them. If I had money, I bought them food. I did not care about walking that long because my main focus was the message and the impact,” he said.
Drug abuse has become one of Sierra Leone’s toughest battles, with substances like Tramadol, Ecstasy, and kush devastating communities. Many young people have lost their lives, others are in rehabilitation, and countless more roam the streets without hope. Despite ongoing government and organizational efforts, new recruits emerge daily, making the fight a national struggle.
Turay, who hails from Kalaba Town in eastern Freetown, said his walk was his own way of contributing to national development. He undertook the journey with the theme- Sustainable Development Through Youth Empowerment, Education, Peace and the Fight Against Drug Abuse in Sierra Leone. Starting from Kenema, he explained, was symbolic, a way to unite the country’s four regions: Kenema representing the east, Bo and Moyamba the south, Tonkolili and Port Loko the north, and Freetown the west.
A former student of Njala University, where he studied economics, Turay is also the founder of Youth Chemistry. He estimates that his walkathon reached “over six thousand people” across schools, communities, and marketplaces. “This is not just about me. If we all come together and work effectively, we will be able to bring every other person on board,” he said, reflecting on the feedback and solutions he gathered during his journey.
The walk was not without challenges. Turay recalled nights without sleep, criticism from a military officer who told him the journey should have taken only three days, and a school principal who dismissed him as “idle.” Yet he pressed on, encouraged by the protection and kindness he received from villagers along the way. “Indeed, Sierra Leoneans are good people,” he said.
Turay’s determination and message have made him an inspiration to many. His walk from Kenema to Freetown stands as a reminder that the fight against drug abuse is not only a government responsibility but a collective effort, one that requires courage, persistence, and the voices of ordinary citizens willing to act.
