First Lady leads anti drug abuse campaign, rehabilitates drug survivors with sport

Tendai Rupapa

Senior Reporter 

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday led thousands of people, including drug survivors, and marched through the capital denouncing drug abuse that is eating into the country’s productive age groups, in a first of its kind rehabilitation programme for their benefit through sport.

They marched from Harare Gardens to Harare Polytechnic College where a sports tournament was organised for them under the theme; “Alleviate Drug and Substance use in Zimbabwe.”

The First Lady will take the programme to all the country’s provinces.

Football legends who included former Zimbabwe captain Benjani Mwaruwari (who is now head coach at Ngezi Platinum Stars) and Tonderai Ndiraya (the current Dynamos coach) were part of the tournament and hailed Dr Mnangagwa for her drug survivors soccer tournament and for coming up with the concept. 

Onlookers and family members of the children openly wept and showered the First Lady with praises for her intervention.

So serious is drug abuse in communities today where both girls and boys are abusing drugs largely due to peer pressure.

“No to drugs”, “Thank you Amai” , “I am fighting in the war against drugs”, “Kick off, kick out, no to drug and substance use” “Taramba kudzokera kumashure” read some of the placards which the victims were carrying.

However, it was the First Lady’s bold move to tackle the problem head on that earned her plaudits.

This was the first time in the history of the country that a sitting First Lady has stepped up to fight drug abuse among youths who are the country’s future leaders in a bold move that has prompted all stakeholders to action.

Her mission is to raise awareness about drug abuse, addiction and prevention thus achieving the goal of making the country free of dangerous drugs.

This first of its kind intervention is being undertaken under her all encompassing drive which is leaving no one and no place behind.

On the field of play, people were treated to hilarious scenes as some of the drug survivors fell as they struggled to kick the ball.

The football legends warmed the stage in an exhibition match. 

The tournament was won by Mabvuku drug survivors senior team after a thrilling sudden death penalty shoot-out against Angel of Hope drug survivors senior team.

Four teams took part in this exciting tournament, which featured junior and senior team categories.

All the teams received trophies and medals. 

But Mabvuku senior team walked away with their heads high after edging Angel of Hope Foundation senior team 4-3 on sudden death penalty shoot-out as the teams were inseparable, even after the initial penalty shoot-out tie-breaker.

The teams had played a 1-1 stalemate at the end of regulation time. 

Then a penalty shoot-out followed. It also ended 2-2 before extending to sudden death, which Mabvuku emerged victors. Then came the Angel of Hope drug survivors junior team against Mbare drug survivors junior team. The match ended in an exciting 1-1 draw. 

The biggest takeaway from the match was the agility of the youthful goalkeeper from Angel of Hope junior team who caught the eye with a string of acrobatic saves. The tournament was meant to use football as a vehicle to fight drug abuse among the youth and also to strengthen survivors of the scourge.

“I initiated this soccer tournament with the aim of raising awareness on the ills of drug abuse and simultaneously promote productivity among the youths through talent identification,” said the First Lady.

 “I am very much impressed with your attendance, which is proof of your willingness to change and break free from the shackles of addiction. 

“As parents, we are affected by this scourge more than anyone. Our children are deteriorating mentally, psychologically and biologically with each passing day due to addiction. We do not want our children to turn derelict, vana baba navana mai mauya ngatichiregai kupeta maoko nekuti hazvisati zvasvika mudzimba dzedu, mangwana tisuwo asi kuona kwangu hapana asina dambudziko iri mumba. 

“Kuuya kwamaita sevabereki kuratidza kuti tashungurudzika, tarwadziswa tave nezvirwere zvakonzereswa nevana vedu na izvozvo ngatichikombai tese sechuma chemuzukuru. Let us join hands and find means to assist our children.” 

The First Lady said the soccer tournament was for the youth who chose the path to sobriety. 

“They have reflected on the negative effects of alcohol and drug abuse and have taken it upon themselves to be proactive participants in their own redemption,” she said. 

“Vana vangu ndinoda kukukurudzirai nekukutendai kuti mauya. Kunyangwe zvikaoma sei, muedzo ukakura zvakadii, ngatirambei takatarisa kumberi takaomesa gotsi kuti aiwa uku handichadzokera. Ndinoshuvira kuzokokwa nemi vana vangu muchindiratidza shanduko yehupenyu hwenyu yaunzwa nesarudzo yamaita nhasi.” 

Dr Mnangagwa implored the soccer legends to scout talent and assist the youths. The drug survivors, including both boys and girls, took turns to give testimonies and concurred with Amai Mnangagwa that enough is enough of the scourge and vowed not to look back. Ms Tsungai Hamandawana (32), who is now drug free, said she started taking drugs while in South Africa when a friend introduced her to Nyaope and became an addict before returning to Zimbabwe.

“Today I stand here as a drug survivor,” she said. “I want to thank the First Lady and her Angel of Hope Foundation for her rehabilitation programmes. Amai vakandinyurura mumatope and gave me a second chance.

“I am now a beneficiary of ZOU/Angel of Hope Foundation short courses and I have since started income generating projects initiated by the foundation. Today’s youth is faced with an enemy called drugs and Amai as a mother, as the health ambassador could not just watch, she acted by initiating this march and tournament showing motherly love and care for her children. 

“This was an informed and educative march which equipped mainly young people to make informed choices. After this programme, there is hope even among those who were already addicted to drugs. When a mother talks, everyone listens.” 

Tinotenda Mashingaidze (17) said; “If it wasn’t for Amai, the First Lady, I would have died. I was a drug addict such that I would experience seizures, my organs were collapsing. Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, I am now clean and willing to go back to school.”

Another survivor who preferred anonymity urged parents to offer guidance to their children to reduce the rampant cases of drug misuse. 

“I am a survivor of drugs because my parents divorced and neglected my moral upbringing and that of my siblings. I could only find solace in drugs. It is not an assumption that drug and other forms of criminal activities have a symbiotic relationship. 

“As drug abuse increases, crime also increases with the need to support the very expensive drug habit. To my brothers and sisters, surely, there is a future and that future is in our hands. Let us preserve it by saying no to drugs and keeping away from people who refuse to say no. Sharing facts about drugs like what Amai did today, save lives,” he said to applause.

Mr Ndiraya confirmed that there was great potential in the those who participated in the tournament.

“Amai has initiated a very important programme,” he said. “This scourge is also affecting us as coaches at professional levels because we have got so many of our players who have been affected by drug abuse. 

“We want to appreciate the First Lady for her efforts which is going to help the youths even at household level because there are also parents who are abusing drugs. If fathers abuse drugs, it means the home is destroyed. 

“We will carry her wise counsel to our clubs and educate our players. Apart from the message she brought to us today, we saw some potential in the youngsters. I am glad that they have confessed that they are out of drugs. 

“This will also give us a chance as coaches to look at developing their talents further. As top clubs in the country we are going to partner the First Lady in this noble cause.” 

Mr Mwaruwari shared his experiences and offered young people solutions on how to tackle their own fights against drug abuse.

He said playing soccer helped him as a youth then to quit drugs. 

“First of all I want to thank Amai for her vision and educative programmes,” he said. “I will revert back to when I was young, I used to take drugs due to peer pressure. However, playing football really helped me to quit. 

“I would spend most of my time in the pitch and stopped entertaining friends who were into drugs. Initiatives like this spearheaded by Amai help us a lot as a nation in the fight against drug and substance abuse. I am encouraging the youngsters to join sports clubs and not to ever look back.” 

Assistant Commissioner Jeremiah Murenje spoke on the police operations in fighting drug and substance abuse.

He also gave statistics of those who were arrested in connection with drugs. 

Hon Vimbai Jukwa-Child Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation commended Amai Mnangagwa for having the youths at heart. She further encouraged other youths to stay away from these dangerous drugs. 

Senior Government officials, members of Parliament and various stakeholders also attended the event.