In a move aimed at strengthening support for individuals recovering from drug addiction and other behavioral disorders, Huye Isange Rehabilitation Center has signed a five-year partnership agreement with Family Circle Love Lab organization. The collaboration seeks to ensure continued follow-up and social reintegration support for patients after they complete treatment.
Dr. Patrick Rwagatare, Director of Huye Isange Rehabilitation Center, said the agreement will significantly improve post-treatment monitoring. He noted that in the past, some patients would return to their communities after rehabilitation but lacked proper follow-up, increasing the risk of relapse.
“This partnership will greatly benefit our institution because it ensures that those who complete treatment here continue to receive counseling and support as they reintegrate into society. They will have people following up on their progress, even within their families.” He stated.
He added that in Rwanda’s Southern Province, there have been limited facilities providing post-rehabilitation follow-up services for former drug users. The partnership therefore marks an important step toward building sustainable recovery systems.
Dative Nakabonye, Director of Family Circle Love Lab and head of Vuga Ukire Healing and Resilience Center, explained that the collaboration will help prevent relapse by extending support beyond the rehabilitation facility and into patients’ families.
“To ensure that those leaving the center do not fall back into addiction, we will work closely with their families so they can provide a supportive environment. When they leave the rehabilitation center, they have already made significant progress, and that progress must be protected.” She said.
She further noted that their team will conduct home visits and provide training to families affected by substance abuse and other behavioral challenges. The aim is to equip families with the knowledge and skills needed to welcome, support, and understand the changes their loved ones have undergone.
Prof. Sasskia, a pediatric and adolescent health specialist from Switzerland who has worked in Rwanda for 15 years, observed that a large proportion of individuals seeking treatment at such centers are young people. She attributed this trend to social pressures and contemporary lifestyle challenges.
She highlighted that family conflicts, trauma, and misconceptions that drug use leads to success are among the key factors driving youth into substance abuse. She emphasized that young people require specialized treatment and in-depth counseling, as many of their struggles originate within their family environments.
Common signs of drug addiction include the inability to control substance intake or behavior, with an individual’s life increasingly revolving around the substance they have become dependent on. The leadership of Huye Isange Rehabilitation Center acknowledged that securing partners to provide post-treatment follow-up services has not been easy. For this reason, the new agreement is viewed as a critical pillar in addressing substance abuse sustainably.
The partnership between Huye Isange Rehabilitation Center and Family Circle Love Lab is expected to provide renewed hope that individuals who complete treatment will not relapse into drug use. Instead, they will receive continued support to rebuild their lives, reintegrate into society, and become agents of positive change within their families and the country at large.
The agreement will run for five years, until 2031, and may be renewed depending on the impact achieved in supporting and monitoring recovering drug users.
