adminWINDS of change are sweeping across Zimbabwe as real influencers and celebrities are now doing their best to change the world.
There seems to be a shift from the norm when they were only known for their wild partying lifestyles.
Reading stories about youthful leaders, and economic empowerment drivers helping youngsters fight vice, is both refreshing and encouraging.
Zimbabwe has been reeling from rampant drug and substance abuse, which calls for a collective response.
A surge in this cancer was recorded at the height of the Covid-19 induced lockdown. Inactivity and boredom were some of the factors, which were cited, for the rise in such cases.
It’s inspiring to see some of these young influencers fighting substance and drug abuse. This new cancer has become a scourge which needs to be tackled head on.
For the greater part of last week, fighting drug and substance abuse, has been the main chorus in the media.
The gospel was intensified after the world marked the International Day Against Abuse. As expected, a series of belated events followed.
Over the weekend, economic empowerment lobby group, Economic Empowerment Group, through its founding president, Mike Chimombe, held an interface with the young people in Chinhoyi on drug and substance abuse.
The youths told the lobby group leaders they had resorted to drugs due to unemployment and because they also don’t have the funding to start their businesses.
If they can find something to keep themselves occupied, the youths said, they will not spend hours drinking alcohol and taking drugs.
The Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) also held their commemorations in Mbare where a self-confessed drug abuser addressed the guests.
It was both inspiring and encouraging to hear it from the horse’s mouth.
This is the kind of engagement needed at this point when drug abuse survivors, and influencers, are working hand in hand.
As the media, we will continue lobbying for engagement between influencers and victims to share their challenges, under one roof.
Failure to do so will only ruin future generations. The current generation, reeling from this new cancer, needs love and care to be able to tackle such challenges.
It’s never too late to help the needy and this can easily be attained once we pull in the same direction.
And, the gospel can be easily heard and put into practice, once all the stakeholders exchange notes.
Celebrities and influencers are some of the people we can fully utilise as a nation to tackle this issue.
There are also other issues like crime, early child marriages and risky sex behaviour where we can also utilise our influencers, to help us change the world. As a nation, we can easily conquer if we fight as a team and we can also sink if there is no unity to tackle such issues.
It’s refreshing to note that Zimbabwean influencers are now utilising their influence to help make a change, which is laudable, and very encouraging for the future.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter