When she resigned from her teaching profession in 1994, she was rebuked and scorned by her family and friends for abandoning a well-paying profession, but her determination to give a second chance to drug addicts is what mattered most to her.
Meet Gladys Chania, an anti-drug crusader and politician who is on a mission to rehabilitate drug addicts and give them another chance in life.Chania was born in 1970s in Thika, Kiambu county.
She resigned as a trained teacher in 1994 to venture into the world of volunteer-ship, helping young people especially students battling drug and substance abuse.
Between 1994 and 2004, the anti-drugs crusader engaged in various initiatives that aimed at giving a second chance to drug addicts.
The activities included counseling and physically nursing drug addicts in various centers mostly in Kiambu.In 2004, the mother of three, flew to the United States to study Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology at the Phoenix University in Arizona.
To quench her thirst for more education especially on matters sociology and psychology, Chania enrolled for a Master’s degree in Child-Adult Psychology at Leicester City University in the United Kingdom.
The anti-drug crusader, who also boasts of a degree in Security studies from Mt Kenya University traveled back into the country and formed the Right@Home Rehabilitation center in Thika.
Through the center, Chania continued with rehabilitating and caring for drugs addicts.
It is through her center that the anti-drug crusader launched a campaign where she crisscrossed schools across Kiambu and neighboring counties sensitizing students on the effects of drug abuse.
Chania notes that she has held anti-drug talks and counseling sessions in over 1000 schools across the country.
In 2013, the anti-drug crusader who funds her rehabilitation center through donors and well-wishers ventured into politics.
She was appointed as the Kiambu TNA party coordinator in 2013.
She used the platform to expand her counseling, often meeting with youth, women and elderly people in her fight against drug abuse.
In 2015, Chania took a leading role in fight against illicit brews when President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a national crackdown on illegal liquor and second hand generation alcoholic drinks.
In order to escalate the war against illicit brews, drug abuse and gender-based violence, Chania declared interest in the Kiambu Women Representative in 2017.
She put up spirited campaign in the run-up to the Jubilee Party nominations banking on the support of youth to sail through the nomination process.
Chania, however, lost in the Jubilee nomination but still contested for the seat as an independent candidate.
She contested in the 2017 general election losing to the current Women’s Rep Gathoni Wa Muchomba.
Chania who prides in putting smiles on drug addicts faces, says that she has not given up on politics.
“I will be back in 2022 and by that time I am confident I would have muscled enough political strength to win,” she said recently in an interview with journalists.
The anti- drug crusader says that her focus now is to spearhead the war on illicit brew that she says is re-emerging.
Chania also hopes to continue empowering, women, youth and persons with disabilities in different ways.Chania who describes herself as hardworking, humble and God fearing starts her day at 4 am and often retires to bed at 10 pm.
Meet Gladys Chania, anti-drugs crusader-cum politician on mission to end drug abuse.
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