Al-Qabbaj, who is also chairman of the fund, gave instructions to launch three training programmes in Al-Mansoura, Minya and Cairo, in cooperation with Mansoura University Hospital and Minya Psychiatric and Drug Treatment Hospital. The training raises the awareness of families of recovered addicts, as well as recovered addicts about to get married, on how to raise happy healthy families, as part of the Mawadda programme, to keep Egyptian families intact.

Training includes several sessions with experts on religious, psychological and social aspects, as well as health aspects in family relations. Since there is a strong link between unstable families, drug abuse and addiction, discussions are also held with recovered addicts and their families about the importance of training and how to best benefit from them to create a stable family unit. Recovery begins with boosting family stability for recovered addicts, and creating a supportive family environment needed for the journey of reintegration into society through psychological and rehabilitative support for them and their families. Recovery continues with economic empowerment through vocational training and subsidising small projects for addicts who have been treated.

The training programmes were created because the ministry and FDCTA are committed to providing comprehensive services for recovered addicts, as studies have shown a strong link between broken homes and substance abuse and addiction.

Recovered addicts receive certificates showing their completion of the family awareness training programme which provides young people on the threshold of marriage with the knowledge and expertise on how to form a happy healthy family. The programme develops family support and guidance mechanisms as well as conflict resolution. All this reduces divorce rates, an important goal of the political leadership.

FDCTA studies show that 85 per cent of recovered female addicts said family problems were the reason why they began abusing drugs, while 34 per cent said their addiction led to serious family conflicts. Thus, a key element for recovery is a stable home environment for recovering addicts and living in a family setting that supports them.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 30 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly