The Sunday Mail
Society Reporter
A HARARE-BASED educational institution, Firm Foundation Christian Academy (FFCA), is taking a leading role in the fight against drug and substance abuse.
FFCA recently embarked on a public awareness campaign aimed at ending the drugs scourge.
Running under the theme “Say No to Drugs Now and Always, Be Part of the Fight”, the school authorities took time to counsel and teach learners about the dangers associated with drug and substance abuse.
Speakers gave possible solutions to the problem.
Those who attended the event were treated to well-packaged and themed drama presentations, poetry, music, debates and dance.
From the deliberations, it was noted that learners also blame parents and guardians for the spike in drug and substance abuse cases.
They accused some parents and guardians of spending too much time away from home, ignoring their children’s needs in the process.
Among the organisations that took part in the campaign were Say No to Drugs, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Firm Security and Southern Pride Meat.
Lisa Maphosa, the FFCA learners’ welfare administrator, said raising awareness on drug abuse is critical in empowering teenagers to make informed decisions.
“It is only through joint efforts involving parents and children that this problem can be tackled. We hope that such dialogue between parents and children aids better communication,” she said.
Professor Norman Maphosa, the founding vice chancellor of Solusi University, was the guest of honour.
He said substance abuse is a complicated bane that requires all hands on deck to win the battle.
“There are several reasons that push teenagers to become drug addicts. First and foremost, we need to understand how and why youngsters start to abuse drugs in the first place. This will then help us know the correct measures to take,” he said.
