First Gentleman Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah has called on learners in Rehoboth to stay away from drugs and alcohol. 

Speaking at Dr. Lemmer Secondary School, he warned that substance abuse can derail education, limit opportunities, and weaken the country's development. 

He urged learners to make choices that protect their future and keep them focused on their goals.

Ndaitwah addressed the learners during an awareness campaign on substance abuse hosted at the school by the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture.

Known as an advocate for the boy-child, he informed learners that true masculinity is rooted in discipline, integrity, and responsibility, and not in risky or destructive behaviour.

The First Gentleman elaborated that being a man should not be proven through wrong actions, urging learners to make choices that protect their health and academic progress.

He further encouraged them to remain focused on their education and avoid peer pressure, particularly the use of alcohol and drugs, which he said derails young people from achieving their goals.

Reflecting briefly on his own life, Ndaitwah said challenges in his early education, influenced by an unfavourable learning environment during the apartheid era, taught him the importance of perseverance and discipline. 

He stressed that difficult circumstances should not define a learner's future, noting that commitment and self-belief can lead to success.