Zimbabwean NGO engages in fights against drug and alcohol abuse

A Zimbabwean based non governmental organisation, Rechabites Trust has engaged into training programmes to educate youth against the "vuzu parties" (youth parties) in Zimbabwe which are characterised by drug and alcohol abuse and reckless sex activities.

The training was meant to enable the public to acquire relevant information about drugs in order to create drug free, healthy and productive communities.

The founder of Rechabites who is also  a former officer of  Drug and Narcortic Squad (CID Drugs) for Zimbabwe, Mthandazo Ndlovu said there has been a gap in the state of the art to be used to train about drug and substance by technocrats in Africa.

Ndlovu founded the Narconon Africa Rehabilitation Centre in the Northwest South Africa and is a former United Nations Office for Drugs and Serious Crimes prosecutor, investigator for Drugs and Serious Crimes for Southern and Eastern Africa.

The programme comes as a response to the Vuzu parties which seem to be trendy with the hosting days of these parties have increased from once a week to almost four times a week in Zimbabwe's second largest city, Bulawayo and trending as an "in thing" for the country's Matabeleland South provincial capital, Gwanda and border town of Zimbabwe to South Africa, Beitbridge.

 "Vuzu parties are in the increase and even the days of hosting them have been increase from once a week to almost 4 times a week, what has changed are the names used for hosting these but the rate at which they are going is scary," he said.

"They have and continue to lead to a drug addicted crop of the new generation as they are doing what we call poly drugging in our specialization terms. This this has what we call a quick hook in dependency on the substance and unbearable withdrawals, which have led to the increase of days having these parties.

 "Sexual acts are very rampant as most of the substances used are amphetamines which are more sex stimulants. A lot of experiments of drugs go on in these vuzu parties and now it's the young who are drug dealers. This has come to light from the clients l then handle to help come off substances referred by the ministry of education or other counselling centres like contact."

Ndlovu said "the Rechabites is a continuous program out reaches are being done in communities and programs to handle have been designed, as the drug culture is not the same in all communities. We are looking at helping the authorities set up drug information centres within the communities and also run programs to help those wanting to come off drugs by equipping the community with the requisite skill."

He said drug rehabilitation is not cheap as it costs an average of plus 20 000-00 South African Rands  while full handling and detox costs plus 75 000-00 Rands.

"We  hope with the cooperation of the stake holders and authorities this can be made cheaper as we are engaged in a programme with the Republic of south Africa," he said.

Ndlovu said the initiative seeks to address Zimbabwe's rate of drug and substance abuse leading to mental health problems, premature deaths, suicides, school dropout and youth delinquency which are on the  increase.

He said this also include incommunicable diseases caused by such abuse of medicinal substances.

"We have a drugged society and we have turned a blind eye," bemoaned Ndlovu.

Richabites Trust schemes to have the model rehabilitation set up done to initiate a norms and conditions for rehabilitation and to empower communities.