Rehab centre offers hope to drug addicts

Remember Deketeke-Herald Correspondent

FOR 27-year-old Tawanda of Borrowdale (not his real name), the sound of a closing gate at Restore Life Rehabilitation Centre marked the beginning of a new chapter, one away from the fog of crystal meth and the loneliness of addiction.

“I had everything — a degree, a job and a loving family,” he said.

“But I lost it all because of drugs. When I came here, I was at my lowest. Now I’m clean, and I have started to dream again.”

Tawanda’s story mirrors a broader national struggle.

Drug and substance abuse has become one of Zimbabwe’s most urgent social challenges, cutting across class, gender and geography.

According to the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN), about 57 percent of young people aged between 16 and 35 have experimented with drugs or alcohol.

The National Drug and Substance Abuse Task Force estimates that at least 1.5 million people nationwide are directly or indirectly affected.

From affluent suburbs to high-density communities, the effects are visible — broken families, school dropouts, rising crime and lost potential.

Yet amid this crisis, a quiet but determined response is emerging. One example is Restore Life Rehabilitation Centre, founded in 2021 by Mr Jonathan Muchengeti in Borrowdale.

The centre is among several community-based institutions complementing Government efforts to combat drug and substance abuse.

“I grew up seeing what drugs can do,” said Mr Muchengeti. “Friends, peers, even family members were lost to addiction. I realised that if we waited for someone else to act, we would lose a generation. So, we started with what we had — and with faith.”

Today, the centre offers a holistic rehabilitation programme that blends medical therapy, counselling, faith-based healing and vocational training.

Its staff of 12 trained counsellors and nurses attend to more than 50 residents each month, while an outreach wing works with schools, universities and churches.

Inside the centre’s tranquil compound, stories of recovery unfold daily.

A young woman from Mufakose, who preferred not to be named, said she found not only treatment but also belonging.

“I came here broken. I thought rehab was for rich people or criminals,” she said.

“But what I found here was love, patience and hope. This gave me back my dignity.”

Her experience reflects a broader national effort.

Under the Second Republic, the Government has intensified its fight against drugs through a multi-sectoral approach that brings together law enforcement, health institutions, and community organisations.

The National Drug and Substance Abuse Task Force, chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, coordinates these interventions — from police crackdowns on drug peddlers to rehabilitation and awareness campaigns.

According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Harare alone has seen a 30 percent increase in crystal meth (mutoriro) cases since 2023, with most users aged between 18 and 30.

Centres such as Restore Life have therefore become vital partners in the fight against addiction.

Working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the National AIDS Council, and several local NGOs, the centre has reached over 2 000 young people through its psycho-education and prevention programmes since 2022.

These sessions focus on prevention, resilience building, and post-rehabilitation support.

“Our vision aligns with Government’s fight against drug abuse,” said Mr Muchengeti.

“We’re not just helping individuals recover — we’re restoring families and rebuilding futures.”

The centre’s internal surveys show that about 70 percent of its graduates remain drug-free for at least a year after completing the programme.

Some have gone on to start small businesses or return to school.

For many, the transformation is deeply personal.

“I used to steal from my parents to buy cough syrup,” said Tariro, a 23-year-old from Mt Pleasant.

“I ended up sleeping on the streets. I didn’t believe I could change. But the counsellors never gave up on me. Now I’m studying to become a peer educator.”

Collaborative

Last week, the Government gazetted a proposed law that will require companies, Government and learning institutions to conduct drug and substance abuse testing among their employees and students to make workplaces and education institutions the first line of defence against the country’s growing drug abuse crisis.

The provisions are contained in the National Drug, Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Agency Bill, which is expected to be tabled before Parliament soon.

Employers and heads of public institutions will also be compelled under the proposed law to establish internal systems to detect, prevent and manage drug and substance abuse within their ranks.

Once enacted the law will make it mandatory for all institutions to adopt comprehensive anti-drug and substance abuse policies that include awareness campaigns, counselling and rehabilitation and mechanisms for identifying and reporting cases of abuse.

The Bill, which also provides for the setting up of the National Drugs, Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Agency, will require institutions to put in place structured programmes that promote prevention and early intervention, while also providing referral pathways for those struggling with addiction.

These internal processes are designed to ensure that organisations take active responsibility for safeguarding employees, students and the broader community from the harmful effects of drug use.

Section 12 of the Bill shifts the primary responsibility for drug abuse prevention from solely a Government enforcement issue to a mandatory, monitored responsibility shared by all private and public entities.

“Every obligated person shall no later than 90 days after the date of commencement of this Act or no later than 90 days after commencing business in the case of an employer; or commencing operations in the case of a statutory body or learning institutions: either adopt a demand side reduction programme designed by the agency (whether generally or specific to a type of obligated person) or design its own customised demand side reduction programme and submit it for approval to the deputy director general (Social) in accordance with this section.”

The Bill notes that the customised demand side reduction programme must, “describe in sufficient detail the nature of the interventions proposed, including mandatory or voluntary harmful drug and substance testing and screening, and psycho-social support (including education about harmful drugs and substances, and harmful drug and substance abuse counselling)”.

It adds that the programme must: “encourage and protect members of the targeted group (employees or students) who wish to report the trafficking and use of harmful drugs and substances, or the abuse of drugs and substances, in their focus area, while at the same time protecting the privacy of survivors of such use or abuse who belong to the targeted group.”