Sports a powerful way to fight against drug and substance abuse
By Memory Mudzani
As the country is fighting against the drug pandemic, sports activities are also playing a vital role to curb drugs and substance abuse among youths.
In an interview with Kwedu News Perpetua Siyachitema the coach for Glow petroleum netball team said, despite playing netball as a game they are also using it as a solution to curb the drug pandemic because the more time girls spend training and having matches the less they get time to do drugs .
“The more time girls spend training and having matches on weekends, the less they get time to do drugs,” said Siyachitema
Siyachitema also said that they have an interaction group where their girls are being educated on the effects of taking drugs and they have professionals in that group who are available to answer their questions.
Polite Ndhlovu who is the programs manager for ZOYP organization also told this publication that as an organization they have found out that the majority of young people who are taking drugs do not have anything to do during their pastime ,some are unemployed , some are destressed and they take drug as a way to distract them from their problems so as organization they have introduced sporting activities in grassroots areas as a way to help in fighting against drug and substance abuse .
He further said that by introducing sporting activities they are trying to preoccupy youths with sports and during these sporting activities they will be empowering them to participate in developmental issues in their communities rather than being drug addicts.
“By introducing sporting activities in grassroots areas of midlands as an organization we are trying to preoccupy young people with sports and during these sporting activities we will be empowering and encouraging them to participate in developmental issues in their communities for them to develop their communities rather than being drug addicts,” said Ndhlovu
Ndhlovu said he is encouraging sporting teams and NGOs who are working with young people to use the power of sport to bring disadvantaged youths together especially those who are into drugs and this will help them as they will be spending most of their time training, playing and discuss toughest issues they face in their communities and come up with solutions to their problems , by doing so they will help in fighting drug pandemic .
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