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Reginald Chirenje
Youth Interactive Writer
Drug abuse, early child marriages, child prostitution and child labour issues have a greater negative impact on the young people in Zimbabwe as much as they bother parents and guidance as well.
Youths are susceptible to peer pressure and can easily gain access to drugs and wild sexual actives.
Once hooked on drugs, they can also become more likely to engage in criminal activities within a society which is a wrong turn.
Girlie Tadiwa Vandira a young lady aged 17, recently launched a campaign in Mazowe South Ward 22 in fighting drug abuse, child prostitution, child labour and early child marriages.
The campaign was attended by many pupils from different schools.
The campaign was launched at Shingirirayi High School under the theme “Eliminating Harmful Practice Affecting Children Progress on Policy and Practice since 2013”.
“Drug abuse, child labour, early child marriages and child prostitution are on rise within my community and its becoming serious each and everyday.
Seeing many youths suffering from these challenges made me come up with such an idea in which I thought it will rescue a lot of young people who are the future of tomorrow” she added.
Mazowe is a small town popularly known for mining, hence some of pupils are dropping school opting for the illegal mining route (chikorokoza) only for the need and love of quick money.
Shockingly, the majority of these young people experiencing problems such as drug abuse, early child marriages among others fail to receive help for them to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow to become well shaped.
“These acts hold a plethora of negative effects on the young generation as they cause life changing complications such as getting a communicable disease.
People who are addicted to drugs or the ones practice prostitution are more likely to get and spread infectious diseases such as HIV and AIDS through unsafe sex which may also results in early marriages,” Vandira said
“As a fellow youth, the campaign which was launched by Junior Councillor Girlie Tadiwa was indeed a good move which sent a strong message to the community at large on the effects of substance abuse and early child marriages cases which are on the rise in the area.
I thank her and all the stakeholders who made the event a success” said Darlington who attended the event.
Child marriages robs girls of their childhood and threatens their lives and health.
Overburdening young children with domestic work is not good because it may later on affect them and will result in body pains (chest and back pains.
“We need a coordinated national approach to these problems as they are multi- sectoral problems in society.
With the combined effort of the Government, non-governmental organisations and community itself these problems will gradually be a thing of the past,” said Girlie Tadiwa.
Online Reporter