27/08/2026
Mr. Morris Sheriff
Founder of the Morris Sheriff Development Foundation (MSDF) writes:
The fight against drug abuse and illicit substance trafficking in Liberia is the defining battle of our generation. It is a battle for the minds, health, and futures of our youth. It is a war we cannot afford to lose.
Through the Morris Sheriff Foundation (MSF), we recently launched our largest anti-drug awareness campaign yet. We brought together hundreds of enthusiastic youth and community leaders and elders in District #17, Montserrado County. To ground this message in unity, my foundation invested over $40,000 USD to organize this campaign and a $1,000,000 Liberian Dollars into recreational football and kickball tournaments.
Sports possess a unique power to heal, connect, and inspire. By strengthening the bond of community unity on the pitch, we built a fortress of resilience against the plague of addiction. This milestone event, alongside our ongoing mini-awareness campaigns across Monrovia and various communities, proves that when Liberians unite, transformation is inevitable.
However, this monumental task cannot be achieved by one foundation alone. Today, I want to look beyond our own initiatives to formally acknowledge, applaud, and appreciate the incredible network of heroes standing on the frontlines of this national crisis.
A Salute to Our Civil Society and Advocacy Icons
First, we must celebrate the relentless champions who use their voices as shields for our youth. Special recognition belongs to popular human rights advocate Martin K. N. Kollie. His unwavering dedication to social justice and the well-being of ordinary Liberians continues to spark vital national conversations.
To all the other civil society organizations (CSOs), community leaders, and meaningful citizens: your grassroots programs, counseling centers, and stubborn refusal to give up on our youth do not go unnoticed. You are the heartbeat of this struggle. You are turning statistics back into human lives.
Appreciating the Government's Decisive Stance
A grassroots movement can only go so far without systemic, institutional backing. For this reason, we extend our profound appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Liberia.
By treating the drug epidemic not merely as a criminal issue, but as a critical national security and public health emergency, the government has provided the policy backbone needed to scale this fight. We applaud the state’s law enforcement, judicial, and health sectors for their intensified crackdown on drug cartels and their expanding support for rehabilitation frameworks. True victory requires a top-down and bottom-up approach, and the government's current posture gives us immense hope.
The Road Ahead: One Mama LiberiaTo the hundreds of youth who danced, ran, and cheered during our recent tournament: you are not "at-risk." You are the promise of our nation. To the elders who guided them: your wisdom is our anchor.The MSF remains fully committed to spreading these awareness campaigns to every corner of our beloved country, Mama Liberia.
ONE LIBERIA 🇱🇷
Hon. Morris Sheriff
Founder: MSF