In the quiet towns and busy streets of Kiambu County, Kenya, a quiet revolution has been taking place-one that has changed lives, rebuilt families, and restored hope for people struggling with drug use.
This is the story of the Kiambu People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) Project, a bold public health initiative that sought to rewrite the narrative of addiction, not with punishment or shame, but with dignity, care, and evidence-based solutions. "For years, people who used drugs in Kiambu, particularly heroin and opium, were among the most marginalized members of society.
They faced stigma at every turn: in hospitals, on the streets, even at home," said Morris Kariuki Chege, Haven Addiction Center (patient-led organization), Kiambu chairperson.
Chege said access to treatment was limited or non-existent, and the few who attempted recovery often fell through the cracks due to poverty, discrimination, or lack of follow-up care.
