Girls soccer, a weapon against drug abuse in Makokoba
Providence Moyo
Bulawayo’s Makokoba residents have started a girls soccer initiative as a mitigation strategy against drug abuse and misuse in the community.
Zimbabwe is currently grappling with a serious drugs problems that has a whole youth generation teetering on the brink of collapse.
Speaking to Community Podium, Community Compassion Care Trust chairperson Nqobizitha Zitha said the project was birthed after a realization that most drug abuse and misuse operators were not only targeting boys but girls as well.
“Girls in Makokoba grow up in a tense environment in relation to drugs. Almost every household grows and sells tobacco and in such an environment, girls are forced to internalise these drugs. This abnormal set up is affecting our girls so we want to keep them occupied with soccer whilst educating them on the effects of these kinds of set ups and drugs,” he said.
The director of the project Annatollia Zitha said they use soccer to challenge gender roles.
“We use sports to prevent crime and drug abuse among youths and adolescents girls. The socially excluded groups in society also come through have access to knowledge on the effects of drugs and substance abuse, character building and personal transformation especially amongst adolescent girls. We focus on at risk young women.
Most young people who take drugs don’t have anything to do, therefore being occupied with sports reduces chances of them becoming drug addicts.
Sporting activities help children and adolescents to identify their talents at a young age and empowers them with gender equality, demonstrating that girls can also do what boys can do hence we are using this to challenge inequalities that exist between boys and girls and also challenge gender roles,” he said.
The target age group is 10 -24 years. These young people get life lectures before each and every training session.
Organisers are appealing to well-wishers, to assist with anything towards the success of the project. They need kits, shooters, balls and pads so that the girls are capacitated to perform to the best of their ability.
According to a research by Mukwenha etal, Zimbabwe’s illicit substance use problem increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Of particular concern has been the upward trend in drug/substance use among adolescents and youths. Commonly used substances in Zimbabwe include glue, bronclee, mangemba, cane sprit, marijuana, codeine and methamphetamine (crystal meth),” the said.
Drugs have been a major challenge among Zimbabwean youths, a situation that has compelled security forces to intensify the fight against drugs. On 17 April the Zimbabwe Republic (ZRP) arrested 58 people nationwide under the operation “NO to Drugs and illicit substances.
