Catholic Church Embarks On Drugs Awareness Programme
By Observer Correspondent
St Francis Catholic Church in Chegutu has embarked on a Drugs and Substance Abuse Awareness Programme aimed at raising the adverse effects of drugs and substance abuse prevalent most Chegutu youths.
The Roman Catholic congregants and other stakeholders marched from Nyangani through Westend and Chegutu Main Shopping Centres with banners in effort to raise the drugs and substance abuse awareness before the launch at St Francis Church in Pfupajena.
Launching the programme over the weekend, Chegutu Acting District Development Coordinator, Dzosai Muzvidziwa-Chari who was represented by Chegutu Ass DDC Dementria Chipwanya, called on parents to play their role to curb drugs and substance abuse in their children.
“I would like to applaud St Francis Roman Catholic Church for coming up with this programme of raising drugs and substance abuse awareness to youths in Chegutu, but I urge you to play your parental roles in order to curb drugs and substance abuse in your families.
“You have roles of paying schools fees so that your children will not have time to indulge in the drugs and substance abuse menace, monitoring all their activities to note changes in their behaviors so as to detect early signs of drugs and substance abuse,” said Muzvidziwa-Chari.
Muzvidziwa-Chari also reminded Chegutu district to play their part in nation bulding.
“The main reason for one to indulge in drugs and substance abuse is laziness and one will then turn to criminal activities. So drugs and substance abuse is a concern in the district because we are losing our productive generation to drugs. Chegutu district is endowed with natural resources so I urge our youths to take advantage of government programmes of empowerment for nation building,” said the Chegutu Acting District Development Coordinator.
An inmate at Kadoma Prison and Correctional Services, Liberty Chagadama, who is serving time in prison for theft and unlawful entry, gave testimony of how bad drug abuse had almost ruined his life.
“I would like to thank the Prison Services for saving my life on how they have rehabilitated me to stay away from drugs. I hold 8 Ordinary Level passes and later proceeded to Mupfure College where I met some who introduced me to drugs,” said Liberty Chagadama.
“I began indulging in drugs and later dropped from college to concentrate on drugs and I became a criminal. I was not afraid to steal but was arrested and sentenced to do time in prison but now I have seen how bad drugs are, so I urge all youths not to take drugs,and my question to all youths is that are they strong enough to do time in prison to stop indulging in drugs,” he said.
Charles Musariyarwa said that the programme will be an on-going activity in the community to keep raising the adverse effects of drugs and substance abuse mainly among the youths.
“As the Roman Catholic Church, today’s programme is not a one-off event as we will be holding such events periodically to keep on raising awareness on how bad drugs and substance abuse is on the youths,” said Musariyarwa.
During the launch of the programme St Francis Church Drama Youths and Chegutu School of Martial Art provided entertainment.
