By Desire Tshuma
Beitbridge – A group of walkers set out from Beitbridge on 27 June with a simple goal and a heavy burden to cover more than 500 kilometres to Harare before 19 July, and to make Zimbabwe’s drug crisis impossible to ignore.
The 23-day walkathon, branded “Together We Rise, United We Heal,” is a joint campaign by state-owned mobile operator NetOne and Heal Us Zimbabwe, a grassroots organisation founded by former addict Columbus Tapiwa Mushore. It is Day 4 today, and each step is being framed as part of the recovery journey itself.
Organisers say the march is not symbolic. They point to data showing drug use among young Zimbabweans rose from 43% in 2017 to over 57% by 2019. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the crisis a national emergency. NetOne CEO Eng. Raphael Mushanawani said the company is responding with more than messaging.
“We are running towards a future where our youth reject substance abuse,” Mushanawani said before the Beitbridge launch. “As NetOne, we are honoured to play a central role in this revolution. But we cannot do it alone. Heal Us Zimbabwe brings the lived experience, the frontline truth, and the human face of recovery. That is why this partnership matters.”
Mushore, who rebuilt his life after addiction, said the alliance turned awareness into action. The walkers are accompanied daily by counselling sessions, testimonies from former users, and community engagements in schools, halls, and youth centres along the route. The aim is to break stigma and point people to rehabilitation.
“NetOne believes that connectivity is not only about technology but also about connecting people to opportunities, hope and a better future,” Mushanawani said. “Heal Us Zimbabwe connects us to the ground reality. They tell us what works, what hurts, and what gives young people a reason to choose life. Our job is to amplify that voice across our entire network—voice, data, mobile money, and internet services.”
That amplification includes digital counselling and rehabilitation support delivered through NetOne’s platforms. Organisers link the campaign to Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 goals, arguing a healthy youth population is essential for economic targets.
“The same technology that distracts can also rehabilitate and educate—and NetOne is determined to be part of that solution,” Mushanawani said. “Heal Us Zimbabwe shows us where the need is greatest. Together, we are turning connectivity into a lifeline.”
Along the road from Beitbridge, strangers have been offering water, food, and encouragement to the walkers. Organisers say that support mirrors recovery, where progress depends on community, not isolation.
The campaign’s closing call has become its covenant: “Your future is in your hands. Say No to Drugs. Say Yes to Life.” For the walkers now moving north toward Harare, it is a message measured one kilometre, and one life, at a time.