My personal conviction of how ISSUP is helpful.

How ISSUP Has Impacted My Life and Community Practice

By Peter Chege (Mr. Talent), ISSUP Professional Member – ISSUP Kenya

ISSUP has played a significant and transformative role in my personal growth and professional practice, particularly in strengthening my commitment to evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery at the grassroots level.

Through ISSUP trainings, webinars, and continuous learning opportunities, I have gained practical knowledge that goes far beyond theory. While it is always possible to continue talking and discussing ideas, ISSUP has reinforced the importance of practicing what we learn and translating knowledge into real, community-based action.

One of the most visible outcomes of this learning journey is the Men in Recovery Program that I facilitate every Friday.
What began as a small support group of 15 men in recovery has grown into a thriving community of over 100 men. These weekly sessions provide a safe, consistent space for peer support, accountability, and healing. The structure and approach of the program are strongly informed by principles gained through ISSUP—particularly recovery-oriented systems of care, peer-led support, and community empowerment.
ISSUP has helped me understand that recovery is not a one-time intervention, but a long-term, community-supported process.

Beyond recovery work, my engagement with ISSUP has strengthened my school-based prevention initiatives, where I am widely known as Mr. Talent. Through these school programs, I engage young people on substance use prevention, life skills, emotional intelligence, and positive decision-making. The focus is on early intervention—equipping learners with knowledge, resilience, and hope before substance use becomes a challenge.

This work has been recognised through two major awards:

Male Mentor of the Year 2024

The Heartistic Trainer of the Year 2025

These recognitions are not just personal milestones; they affirm the value of evidence-based practice, compassion-led facilitation, and community-driven solutions—the very principles ISSUP stands for.
ISSUP continues to reinforce a powerful message that I live by and share with others:
You do not need to wait for perfect conditions to create impact.

I encourage fellow ISSUP members and practitioners to do what they can, with what they have, where they are. Grassroots initiatives matter. Small groups matter. One Friday recovery meeting matters. One school session matters. When knowledge is combined with commitment and compassion, meaningful change is inevitable.

ISSUP has shaped how I think, how I serve, and how I lead—and the impact is visible every Friday, in schools, and across the communities I engage.