By Margaret Kamba 

The Mbare Community has taken upon itself to find solutions to the drugs and substance abuse ill currently bedeviling the country.

Having been faced with the ill which has seen the children falling prey to the numerous drugs and substances, some members of the community have decided to play an active role in cleaning up their society to make it drug free.

Like any other communities, the Police have been fingered as propellers of the vice, the lack of access to recreational facilities, moral fabric decay, the community has understood that it is their loss if they wait for outsiders to come in and help.

Speaking during the Community engagement session organised by the Visionary Cadres Association of Zimbabwe VICAZ residents took turns to share their plight, observations and solutions to the vice.

Gaudencia Maziya said "We must activate the recreational facilities so that the young people have something to do and this way the menace stops."

Munyaradzi Dembenuzani said "We are holding what we call the Mbare Edutainment Festival this April to help our youths find something to do within the arts industry. This is one way we feel will help stop drugs and substance abuse. Let's also use case studies from other nations and see how they were successful in handling this issue. We must also avoid promoting lyrical content that promotes this vice."

Liffet Jongwe said "parents need to love their children despite having broken marriages. This protects the children from resorting to drugs as a way of escape."

Perpetua Twizerimana said "We need to provide counseling for our young people as they resort to drugs not because they want to but because they are stressed and feel taking drugs helps them escape from the pain and misery they have."

Portia Mavhunga said "Some of us in the community have partnered with social care workers who have trained us on how to handle the victims. We are saddened by what we have seen for example the gang rape cases which a lot amongst these young people."

Nyasha Gavaza said "If we as single mothers find ways to fend for ourselves and children then it is easy to break free from the chains of drugs and substance abuse."

Nyasha Taulo said "We need stricter search protocols in our schools to stop the smuggling of drugs into schools."