Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
NATIONAL airline, Air Zimbabwe yesterday flew child president Hazel Mandaza and a few other youths on a joy return flight to Victoria Falls as part of the parastatal’s celebration of the National Youth Day.
Hazel (17), a Form Six pupil at Mahusekwa High School in Mashonaland East province, was joined by her colleagues Yolanda Manjova, Maphios Utete and Simbarashe Mubayi among others in the flight from Harare to Victoria Falls via Bulawayo.
In an interview at the Victoria Falls Airport, Hazel said young people were elated to celebrate National Youth Day. She said the day stands as a reminder for youths to actively participate in programmes that prepare them for the future and in the fight against drug abuse.
“Since the population of our country is highly constituted of youths which is about 60 percent, we’re very glad to celebrate this year’s National Youth Day under the theme “Alleviating drug and substance abuse by youth”.
It is indeed encouraging that the youths themselves are joining hands to fight this war of drugs and substance abuse which has become so rampant in our country,” said Hazel.
She thanked Air Zimbabwe management for affording youths the experience of flying to the country’s tourism capital via Bulawayo, an experience that will encourage young people to travel around thecountry and experience its natural beauty.
“To me it was an amazing experience and I have been motivated not only to board some flights in future but was an eye opener in choosing a career path.
The Second Republic is doing a lot in terms of empowering youths through programmes that are meant not only to develop them but to keep them away from the streets and drugs andsubstance abuse,” she said.
During the flight, the youths were taken through some form of career guidance by the crew and Air Zimbabwe staff. Air Zimbabwe spokesperson Ms Firstme Vitori said the initiative was meant to motivate youths to be positive about their future.
“Through such exposure, our hope is that the child president’s voice will be amplified to benefit her national constituency that needs to be guiided in choosing careers while at the same time instilling hope for a better future as we rally the nation in the fight against substance and drug abuse by the youth,” she said. — @ncubeleon
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