Benard Kemboi, who has passed through the tough jaws of substance addiction has emerged and intends to use his experience to motivate others to steer clear of the slow habit that later on develops into a monster.
The 40-year-old man from Eldama Ravine Sub County narrated how he fell into being part of five million Kenyans who according to 2022 NACADA report abuse at least one drug.
With the state’s anti-substance abuse campaigner reporting a young age initiation into drug use, ranging between seven to 20 years for different types of drugs, Kemboi fell for the trap in his final teen year and went on for close to twenty years.
In a world where the allure of acceptance and adventure often overshadows the risks of substance abuse, Kemboi’s story is a poignant reminder of the fragile line between youthfulness and despair.
Once a promising student with a bright future, he found himself trapped in the clutches of addiction during his freshman year at university.
“I was a good boy until I joined university,” Kemboi recalls, his eyes reflecting both pain and resilience. It all began innocently at a fresher’s night event, where the excitement of new friendships quickly spiraled into something darker.
Encouraged by peers, he began experimenting with drugs, convinced that they would elevate his status and confidence. “They told me the more I used, the more I would act like a lion,” he explains, a bitter smile crossing his face.
What started as casual use soon transformed into a dependency that consumed his life. Gradually, Kemboi found himself caught in a cycle of addiction, escalating from alcohol to bhang and eventually cocaine.
“I couldn’t do anything without drugs,” he admits. His relationship with substances grew so severe that doctors began to question his health in alarming terms: “Whenever I was sick, they wouldn’t ask about the alcohol in my blood; they asked about the blood content in the alcohol.”
The consequences were devastating as his weight dropped to just 36 kilograms at his lowest point. He also couldn’t keep is teaching job and even worse he lost the last straw he could clutch, his family.
“I felt like I was losing everything since I could not help myself anymore,” he shares, the weight of his past evident in his voice. The darkness that enveloped him seemed insurmountable, leaving him with the haunting realization that he was lucky to be alive.
It is only after hitting rock bottom that he sought help from Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir who linked him up with Dorcas Rigathi Foundation, which admitted him at a rehabilitation centre in Bomet in January.
After 100 days in the rehab and with a check in weight of 36 kilograms, Kemboi emerged not only reformed but a new person weighing 70 kilograms.
“That was my turning point,” he says, reflecting on the past 100 days since he graduated from the program. “I’m grateful for the chance to start over.”
Today, Kemboi stands as a beacon of hope and an ambassador for those struggling with addiction. He uses his experience to advocate for mental health awareness and encourage others to seek help. “I want to tell those in similar situations that there is a way out,” he urges.
“Join any rehabilitation center near you; it could save your life,” he emphasized.
With a newfound purpose, Kemboi is dedicated to educating students about the importance of mental health and the dangers of substance abuse.
“Your mental health matters,” he says, a fervent plea echoing through his words. “Don’t let drugs define your story.”
His work was well cut out during this year’s world mental health day held Eldama Ravine in where he gave a talk and encouraging those facing mental health to seek for help.
Benard Kemboi’s journey from addiction to recovery is a powerful testament to resilience, transformation, and the importance of seeking help. His story not only highlights the struggles faced by many, but also serves as a reminder that recovery is possible and that hope can be found even in the darkest of times.
Kemboi is not looking back on the close to 20 years and lost opportunities, he is beaming with hope as he secured a teaching job in September, thanks to the government initiative of recruiting more teachers.
He is also looking forward to his engagement ceremony in a month’s time. He is actually ‘recovering the years lost to the locust’.
With NACADA research finding drug and substance use as a key risk factor for depressive disorders and youths in the 25-35 years of age been vulnerable to drug and substance abuse, there is need for heightened advocacy among the youth on the perils of drug abuse.
Kemboi prays that he gets more partners and support so that he could reach out to more youths across the country and persuade them to steer away from drugs and substance use.
By Maureen Chesang and Christopher Kiprop
