Published: January 19, 2026
PAYNESVILLE CITY, Monrovia — Tears of relief, gratitude and renewed hope filled the Cooper Farm community Monday as parents of rehabilitated young women praised Senator Abraham Darius Dillon for what they described as a life-saving intervention through the Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration (CFRR), a facility they say rescued their children from drug addiction, stigma and social rejection.
The center officially graduated its third all-female batch on Jan. 19, marking the successful completion of weeks of rehabilitation and detoxification by 25 young women. The ceremony drew members of the 55th National Legislature, county officials, partners, parents, community residents and former CFRR graduates, many of whom testified to dramatic personal transformation.
From Addiction to Recovery
CFRR Executive Director Trokon Milton reported that the program initially enrolled 32 clients, but 25 completed the full rehabilitation cycle.
“Seven persons decided to leave after being detoxed and regained their consciousness, and here, we don’t force people against their will, even though we applied some persuasive efforts to keep them,” Milton said. “At this time, we are excited to present the 25 clients to our vision bearer whose support has never stopped coming for the betterment of these young people who were once rejected by their communities.”
Parents Speak: ‘You Saved Us From Shame’
Several parents took the podium to share emotional accounts of mockery, rejection and despair they endured while their children struggled with substance abuse.
“I had no better name in my community,” one mother said through tears. “Imagine my beautiful girl child and my son getting in the street through the bad influence of drugs.”
She recalled seeking help everywhere before turning to the CFRR leadership. “We went to Brother Darius Dillon them office crying for help while others were calling names such as ‘zogo,’” she said. “Arma dah my god; Darius Dillon dah god,” she added in Liberian parlance, urging the graduates to stay off the streets and become agents of positive change.
Another father said the lives saved through the center would “be a blessing to Senator Dillon through generations to come.”
Survivors Tell Their Stories
Graduate Henrietta Danies thanked CFRR, its board and management, as well as President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, who facilitated her admission.
“I want to appreciate each and every one of us parents who has always been on our side, and a special thanks to the social worker, the chief cook, the security team,” she said. “Your continued support and care mean so much to us.”
Melvina Suah, another graduate, titled her testimony, “I Have a Destiny to Fulfill.” She recounted slipping into drug use during her 12th-grade year.
“All of a sudden, I found myself living in the graveyard with dead bodies and some of our friends in that process,” she said, crediting her parents and CFRR for helping her choose a new path. “With the help of this institution, I can fulfill my dream and forward my education to another level.”
Lawmakers Urge Discipline, Purpose
River Gee County Sen. Jonathan Boye-Charles Sogbie urged the graduates to remain focused and make their families and the institution proud, while reaffirming his support for the center.
In his keynote message, Dillon stressed that CFRR operates without regard to politics, tribe or background, focusing instead on restoring dignity to those society has cast aside.
“You the parents, even if you had given up, the fact that you showed love while your child was in this center served as a source of motivation,” Dillon said.
He cautioned the graduates against relapse, warning that the center cannot readmit former clients given the thousands of youths still battling addiction.
A Second Chance, Not a Last Resort
Dillon reminded the young women of their roles as future leaders and change-makers, encouraging them to use their stories to inspire others. He announced that graduates may return to CFRR to learn trades such as pastry-making, computer skills, tailoring, soap and chloride production—free of charge.
Senator Abraham Darius Dillon
“We have contact tracers of everyone who has left this center since 2021, making sure that we stay in touch with all former clients,” Dillon said. “Today, I am not making any political speech. Those asking what we are doing can see for themselves.”
The senator also recognized volunteers, social workers and more than 20 individuals and institutions in Liberia and the diaspora for sustaining the center’s mission—one that, for many families present, has meant the difference between despair and hope.
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