Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Health Reporter
A FAITH-BASED organisation, Windows of Hope Zimbabwe, has launched a proactive initiative to combat drug and substance abuse among young people and schoolchildren in Manicaland, complementing Government efforts to catch them young.
In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the organisation has been conducting impactful awareness sessions on drug
and substance abuse, targeting primary and secondary school learners across the province.
The organisation’s vulnerable children intervention officer, Mr Content Makumbe, said the initiative is part of a broader programme aimed at instilling values of health, responsibility, and resilience among school-going children, as well as reaching out to school leavers.
He said the work is inspired by a Christian-based approach, which seeks to empower learners through, both education and faith, building a foundation for a drug-free generation.
“These are all year-round interventions in which we are targeting, not only school leavers, but school children too. There has been a misconception that drugs are only abused by school leavers who are idle at home, but we know that they are being abused in schools. So we are using a Christian-based approach to curtail these abuses and raise awareness in schools.
“We ask these children if they know any drugs, and they are also schooling us on some drugs that we thought would be uneasily accessible, meaning that we have a lot of work to do,” said Mr Makumbe.
He emphasised that drug suppliers do not discriminate by age and that the situation on the ground requires urgent and wide-reaching action.
“It is better to catch them young as we find how best to find solutions for this menace. The suppliers of drugs are not worried about age; they just sell to everyone.
“Prevention is better than cure, and it is better to educate them before they start or when they are still young. This menace is affecting every age group,” he said.
Government has declared drug and substance abuse a national threat and has set up the National Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse under the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
Numerous law enforcement blitzes, rehabilitation programmes, and public campaigns are currently underway to combat the rise of drug use, particularly among youths.
Mr Makumbe said the awareness sessions are in line with Vision 2030, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy as the vision places strong emphasis on social development and well-being, and tackling drug abuse is central to that.
He said the response from learners and their teachers has been overwhelming and encouraging.
“We are seeing genuine concern from school authorities who are grateful for our visits. They too are witnessing behavioural changes in learners who raise red flags. Some schools are requesting follow-up visits, which shows that there is both a need and willingness to address the issue. We are also training teachers and equipping them with the knowledge to identifysigns of drug abuse and the right steps to take when faced with such cases,” hesaid, adding that in a bid to address drug abuse among school leavers, the organisation is also facilitating small loans for income-generating projects.
The move is designed to reduce idleness and dependency by promoting entrepreneurship and purposeful living.
“We cannot talk about prevention without addressing the socioeconomic challenges that push our youths into drugs. Through our small loans initiative, we are encouraging school leavers to start small businesses, poultry projects, vending, carpentry and other skills, instead of being idle and vulnerable to drugs,” said Mr Makumbe.
Mr Makumbe said they will continue to roll out the programmes across more schools in Manicaland, with the hope that its early intervention strategy will help change the narrative around drug use in the province.
“Our vision is of a generation that is informed, resilient, and drug-free. Together, we can protect the future of our children and the future of this country,” said Mr Makumbe.
The awareness sessions have already had a tangible impact on learners, some of whom shared their experiences after a recent session held at Joshua Dhube Primary School in Dangamvura.
