Chitungwiza-based young people led movement Teen Rescue Mission (TRM) has incorporated sporting events as a tool to fight against mental health issues, youth crimes and teen pregnancy that have been fueled by drug and substance abuse among young people.
The approach has been extended to even benefit Zimbabwean nationals who are also living in other countries which Mozambique and Zambia with the recent soccer tournament hosted by the organisation benefited Zimbabweans who stay in Zambia.
The organisation’s Founding Director Abraham Matuka expressed that young people who stay in foreign countries usually lack access to these services hence they might be perishing slowly with issues of drugs and emotional trauma.
“As an organization we have seen it worthy to even stretch our advocacy programmes to outside our country so that our youths who are staying in other countries will also benefit, including those who are permanent citizens in those countries.
“We have realised that idleness and lack of better social activities have led many young people into emotional instability as a result they end up taking drugs which will cause more harm to their lives through crimes, early pregnancy and mental health complications. So, sport is a powerful tool that we are using to fight these problems, it is a way for us to gather young people together for socialization and thereafter we teach them about economic empowerment on how they can sustain themselves and above all we educate them on the adverse impacts of drugs and substance abuse.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude all our partners that are making us able to continue doing this work. Different Embassies, individuals and corporates have been standing with us towards achieving this goal,” he said.
Meanwhile representative in Zambia Mrs Phiri said “We are excited to have this initiative coming to Zambia. Surely many young people have been missing the way because of drugs but we are very excited that the programme to fight drugs among the youths has been brought into our nation. We are going to use it to gather many young people and use the opportunity to encourage them to abstain from drugs and guide them along the right way and we believe we will go a long way in saving our youths from the pandemic of drugs and substance abuse,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries from Zambia Willian Kabwe thanked TRM for the intervention saying that “At least we now have something to do every weekend, as young people there is no room for spending time in the streets of Lusaka, at least this will take away every evil thought of taking drugs,” he said.
One of the Zambian nationals Boston Siyamudi who has also been appointed as the coach of the soccer teams believed that the programme will ease the situation in Zambia.
“It has been worrisome to read news of a rise in youth crimes and teen pregnancy in Zambia but with this programme in our region we are hopeful that we will start to record a decline in such cases.We continue to request for support so that we can expand our activities inorder to benefit as many youths as possible across Zambia,” said Siyamudi
TRM fights drugs and substance abuse through offering life-changing skills offered through their headquarters located in Chitungwiza.The skills include welding,motor mechanics,hotel and catering,dressmaking and horticulture among other.
