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A student writes an essay during examination. [Getty Images]
A Grade 10 learner from Kilifi County has emerged as the overall winner of the 2026 National Senior School Essay Writing Competition on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, beating more than 1,100 participants from across the country in a contest aimed at empowering young people to lead the fight against substance abuse.
Faith Munyazi Wugoma of Helping Hands Senior School clinched the top position in the competition organised by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA). She was followed by Rukia Abdi of Garbatulla Girls Secondary School in Isiolo and Angel Wangari of AIC Morop Girls Senior School in Nakuru.
The competition, themed "Protecting Our Future: Making Drug-Free Choices in School and Beyond," attracted a record 1,153 students from 132 schools in 39 counties. Learners submitted handwritten essays in English or Kiswahili addressing the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, peer pressure, the role of schools and families, and strategies for resisting substance use.
