By Shumirai Mareverwa
With a visionary outlook for a brighter future for the next and present generations, the City of Harare teaming up with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment Development and Vocational Training held an anti drug campaign in Hatcliffe last week.
The event gathered youths from Hatcliffe to confront the drug crisis at Hatcliffe Community hall.
Drug survivors who went through the Angel of Hope rehabilitation programme and Ministry of Youth Empowerment Development and Vocational Training, played a crucial role sharing the miserable journeys they went through up to their resurrection periods.
One of the survivors, recounted arriving home late and losing control of her drinking, creating a serious risk for her as a young girl.
“I was an alcoholic and came home late, i took strong stuffs until i was escorted to the Angel of Hope Foundation.”
She explained how her behavior and health and wellbeing was affected saying: “My health and character was a change, I developed a wild behavior, I started to steal and I no longer ate good food,” she said.
Another one noted, “i was persuaded with my mates to take a sip until i became an addict.
“The addiction made me drop out of school.
“I was later taken to the Angel of Hope Foundation rehabilitation centre, where i can testify that i was brought back from the dead,”she explained.
The survivors expressed gratitude for the change they acquired from the Angel of Hope Foundation and encouraged parents to take care of their children and not abandon them and get them necessary assistance.
“I am really grateful and I encourage parents not to lose hope when their children are trapped in that parasite, rather take part in fighting against it,” said another survivor.
The other survivor called on spiritual leaders, parents and guardians to continue praying for the nation.
The survivors graduated in October 2025 and registered a youth organization named Restored Hope of Pioneers, with an agenda to conduct peer-to-peer education on drug and substance abuse awareness
Listening to the testimonies, inspired many youths, sparking a strong desire to create a better future.
The event was graced by various schools including Hatcliffe Primary and High School, Devine Success Academy, Kubatana traditional dance group under the Global Peace Foundation, religious bodies like the Salvation Army and Rhodesville Catholic Church and other institutions such as Bakers Inn, Econet Wireless, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Open University, Viva Network Zimbabwe, Fidelity Funeral Services, ZICADA, Redan, ZRP Drugs and Narcotics, DCC Political Commissar, Padare Men’s Forum, Zimbos Abantu Health Care, Mobis Soup Kitchen and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development amongst others.