In an effort to mitigate drug and substance abuse which has become rampant among the young
people, youths in Hwange have appealed to the Hwange Local Board to be incorporated into
their budget.
Noting the various challenges they are facing in the communities, the youths presented their
concerns to the Hwange local board during the budget consultation meeting held at the HLB
boardroom complex. The concerns varied from the need for more recreational facilities,
rehabilitation centres among other things which they said will help keep the youths occupied.
The youths requested that HLB construct a rehabilitation centre where they can readily find
information on drugs and the negative effects of drug abuse.
"With an increase of school drops outs, it has emerged that drug and substance abuse has become
the order of the day. The youths with idle minds have ventured into drug and substance abuse,"
said Tina's he Matika from Hwange Youth Empowerment Initiative.
“We are experiencing a high number of youths who are daily involved in drug and substance
abuse, so as Local Authority we are requesting a Rehabilitation Centre where the youths can visit
and be taught about the effects of drug abuse. Also the vendors have a stake in these cases of
drug abuse as they are in possession of the illicit substances which they also sell to the youths as
they engage in day to day business in the markets and the streets,” he said.
Meanwhile Nonceba Bhebhe of Women Coalition for Change Zimbabwe (WCOZ) also
advocated for the provision of One Stop Centre for gender based violence victims and survivors.
She said although the police are capable of handling such cases, some of the victims may fail to
disclose the state of abuse which they would have faced hence the need for a One Stop Centre as
a youth friendly environment for GBV victims and survivors.

In response to the suggestions presented by the youths the Housing Director Ananious Banda
welcomed the ideas saying they will try and fulfill their needs and aspirations. He said the board
had engaged Musasa on GBV issues adding that they had budgeted for the multi-purpose centre.
Musasa is a non-governmental organisation that provides relief to survivors of Gender based
violence.
They also offer services such as counseling, medical care, temporary shelters and legal support to
women survivors of violence as well as teaching them the skills they need to survive
independent, violent-free lives. The multi-purpose centre will serve as a recreational facility were
the youths will be meeting, engaging interactions and carrying out research.
“We have engaged Musasa on GBV cases and they promised to work with us pertaining to such
cases arising in our communities where women are being victimised and brutalised by men. We
hope that for all the GBV issues Musasa will play a big role in giving victims legal support. We
have also budgeted for the multi-purpose centre which will help our youths to gather and share
ideas for the betterment of their future,” he said.
In the meeting which also turned out to be a counseling session on young people, Banda urged
the youths to be entrepreneurs by using whatever resources that are available to them so that they
do not loiter around. He chastised the youths of today for being lazy to come up with ideas and
do things for themselves urging them to think outside the box for income generating projects.
“In Hwange we have mangoes which you can use to make juice and market your products to big
markets. So as youths I urge you to unite and form an income generating group projects which
will enhance and sustain your lives. I wish time could be reversed, and be part of this generation,
I would have implemented a lot of projects which are income generating but nowadays we have
‘lazy youths’ who are always on the internet doing unproductive things”, he said.