Families flock to Angel of Hope Rehab for recovery

Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter

THE Angel of Hope Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Mbare has once again become a beacon of renewed hope, with families flooding its gates for the centre’s fourth intake, a clear sign that its life-changing impact is being felt across the country.

What began as a modest intervention has quickly become a national movement. This latest intake was heavily oversubscribed, with multitudes of families arriving from all provinces, inspired by the testimonies of those who have walked out of the centre transformed and restored.

The latest intake drew people from as far as Tsholotsho, Honde Valley, Mutare, Wedza, Guruve, and Mutoko, among other places.

Parents and guardians packed the grounds of Stodart Hall, some carrying their children in firm restraint, others with quiet determination etched on their faces.

Some patients even had the audacity to bring drugs into the rehabilitation centre, which were confiscated. The substances included crystal meth, marijuana, tumbwa, among several others.

For many parents and guardians, this was not just an admission day, it was a second chance for their families.

A father weeps as his son makes incoherent statements during the vetting process for admission to the Angel of Hope Drug Rehabilitation Centre’s fourth intake in Mbare yesterday. —Pictures: Edward Zvemisha.

One of the most captivating yet heartbreaking moments involved a young boy who arrived in chains. In confidence, he admitted that he had chased his parents away from home so he could be alone to “do his own things.”

Visibly intoxicated, he even had the audacity to offer the First Lady money, suggesting that if they split it giving her US$5 and keeping US$5 for himself he would put his share to better use, leaving the crowd in stitches.

Another deeply touching story that illustrated the devastating effects of drug and substance abuse involved a man who arrived wearing ten layers of clothing, all of which had to be removed before his admission.

As more drug bases continue to be uncovered, the police have achieved a major breakthrough.

Patients have become a source of information, leading law enforcement agencies to drug dens across the country’s 10 provinces.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa took time to interact with the parents and guardians during the intake, offering comfort and reassurance that recovery is within reach.

Mother Zimbabwe said that as a mother herself, she understands the pain that comes with watching a child lose their way.

A patient receives an intravenous infusion from medical personnel during the vetting process at the Angel of Hope Foundation Drug Rehabilitation Centre.

“Thank you all for coming to enroll your children here. This is a place where we support one another as we look into the challenges our children are facing. This is not the responsibility of one person, it is our collective duty.

“I am deeply touched by what I have seen and heard, it pains me greatly. I urge you, parents and guardians, to be patient and understanding,” she said.

The First Lady added: “After two weeks, you will be invited to come and see your children to observe their progress. Once you have seen them, they will continue staying here for another two weeks before being taken to the next stage, where they will receive practical skills training.”

Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa said when children return home, they should not be reminded of their past mistakes.

“They will have learned new skills, make use of those skills, guide them, and help them rebuild their lives. If you dwell on their past, they may easily relapse into drug use.

A patient, who arrived wearing 10 layers of clothing, undresses before admission at the Angel of Hope Foundation Drug Rehabilitation Centre during the fourth intake in Mbare.

“Our children have made mistakes, yes, but let us be patient with them. With love, patience, and guidance, we can nurture the good that still lives within them,” she said.

Within months of its opening, the rehabilitation centre has become a model of effective recovery. Each intake has produced tangible results, young people freed from the grip of addiction, families reunited, and communities beginning to heal.

The stories of pain and resilience were many, parents describing nights of fear, grandparents standing in for absent parents, and siblings clinging to the hope that this would be the turning point.

In tears, a mother who had nearly taken her own life because of her son’s abuse said she was finally relieved that her violent son could now be rehabilitated.

“I almost killed myself because of the harassment from my own son. He would call me a witch. I was saved only by grace. He broke doors in anger, destroyed property so many times that I became a regular customer of the repairman. One time, he locked me outside when I had gone to buy gas, leaving me stranded.

“I kept asking myself how I could ever be helped. Now, I just thank God and pray for Amai Mnangagwa, may she continue this great work. My son is a graduate, but drugs had ruined everything,” she said.

The mother said her story should stand as a living testimony to the community, explaining that she had suffered so much that, “kana uchitambudzika hazvivigike sehembe nyowani,” implying that when you are in pain, it cannot be hidden like new clothes.

Another parent who came with her 19-year-old son said she began noticing changes in his behaviour.

“He lost so much weight, it was unbearable. He would sleep endlessly, and his smell was unbearable. Sometimes, I would see burn marks on the stove from the drugs he was taking, and the whole house would reek of smoke.

“He was wasting away, his smell, his speech, everything was falling apart. He spoke incoherently and argued endlessly. If you tried to correct him, he became violent. I was in a crisis,” she said.

An uncle who brought his nephew said drugs had destroyed him to the point of losing his marriage.

“Drugs made him violent. He beat his wife and destroyed everything in his path. He would demand sadza at 3am. when everyone was asleep. He sold all the household property.

Tears of joy . . . An emotional mother becomes tearful as her son is admitted to the Angel of Hope Foundation Rehabilitation Centre during the fourth intake.

An emotional mother tearfully recounts the hardships she has endured because of her son, who was admitted to the Angel of Hope Foundation Rehabilitation Centre in Mbare yesterday.

“The way he speaks to his own mother, my sister, is shocking and heartbreaking,” he said.

Another parent, a mother of a 26-year-old daughter who was retrieved from one of the bases in Mbare after spending nearly two months there, broke down in tears.

“I couldn’t sleep peacefully knowing my daughter was missing every day.

“She had been gone for over a month before we finally found her at a drug base, it was filthy, like a pigsty. My heart was shattered. We had to lie to her peers that her two-year-old daughter was sick just to get her to come home.

“Imagine a young woman selling everything she finds in the house. What pains me most is that she once crocheted so beautifully, but drugs stole that passion away,” she said.

From this intake, it was observed that some children from challenging family backgrounds were also being impacted by drug and substance use.

Another mother shared how her son’s life spiralled out of control after learning that his father wanted a DNA test, denying paternity.

“My son lost control of his life. He takes whatever comes his way, marijuana, tumbwa, anything. It all began after his father and I separated.

“Sometimes when parents fight or separate in front of their children, it drives them into dark places like drugs. His wife later deserted him, and now I’m taking care of his two children,” she said.

In another case, a father said his son’s life collapsed after he began taking marijuana and broncleer following separation from his wife.

“Life has never been the same for my son. If I buy him clothes, he sells them and wears the same thing for weeks. He talks to himself now, saying strange things.

“If I offer him a job, he says, ‘What’s the point of working? There’s no work worth doing.’ When I heard about the Angel of Hope Foundation, I found hope again, hope that I could embrace my son once more. I am so thankful to the First Lady for being hands-on in saving these children.”

A grateful grandmother who came all the way from Mutoko said the First Lady was truly God-sent.

“Many parents would have given up, but you chose to carry our burden. It hurts to watch a child being destroyed, yet you stood by us, rebuilding the future of our children so they could stand again.

“You started this programme when no one else cared. Many parents share our pain, but now, there is hope,” she said.

But alongside the tears came songs of gratitude. When admissions were confirmed, some parents danced and ululated, rejoicing that their children were finally in safe hands.

The centre’s approach combining medical care, counselling, skills training, and family reintegration continues to yield remarkable results.

For many families who gathered for the fourth intake, hope is no longer a distant promise. It is alive, visible, and spreading one restored life at a time.