Drug and Substance Abuse

Drugs have several risks to human health and the environment. The focus of this project is to develop a natural herb to conquer and remove addiction among young people. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) 2019 report, Zimbabwe has the highest rate of 15 to 19-year-olds engaging in heavy “episodic drinking” in Africa, with 70.7 percent of males and 55.5 percent of females participating. 

Peer pressure and perceived popularity have been shown to be associated with increased risk for adolescent substance use. Specifically, when adolescents believe that their popularity within a peer group increases with the use of substances, they are more likely to participate in such substance use. Adolescents who self-identify as popular have shown to have increased prevalence of substance use when compared to adolescents who do not identify this problem. There may also be a greater correlation between substance use and self-identification of popularity than between substance use and popularity as assessed by peers. There are also ocial factors that contribute to increased risk for adolescent substance use include deviant peer relationships, popularity, bullying, and association with gangs. Social influences and familial influences are often present simultaneously. A legal definition of child neglect includes any situation where a child's caregiver does not provide adequate living necessities, including protection, clothing, health care, and/or food. Studies have consistently shown that victims of neglect are at increased risk for substance use. According to a legal definition, emotional child abuse encompasses a situation whereby the child's “intellectual or psychological functioning or development” is hindered. Research shows that experiencing emotional abuse can lead to increased risk for adolescent substance use, though it does not have as much influence as experiencing physical or sexual abuse. It has also been found that witnessing violence can increase an adolescent's risk for developing a substance use disorder with alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, or hard drugs by as much as two to three times. This is likely because witnessing violence creates great stress, especially in the case of a child witnessing domestic violence. Therefore, substance use becomes a coping mechanism. It has also been speculated that, in some cases, substance use may precede witnessing violence because such acts of violence may occur within the context of a delinquent peer group where substance use is prevalent. In most states, the legal definition of physical child abuse entails any act that causes a child to experience physical harm that is not accidental. The effects of physical and sexual abuse, specifically, on adolescent behaviors regarding substance use have been examined, with researchers consistently reporting a statistically significant relationship between physical or sexual abuse and adolescent use of nicotine, marijuana, and alcohol. There is also some evidence that higher levels of illicit drug use, including cocaine, heroin, and barbiturates, are associated with physical and sexual abuse. Being a victim of physical or sexual assault increases the risk of an adolescent getting involved with substance use from two to four times.

We are developing a natural herb to conquer addiction in partnership with Africa University Clinical Research Centre. The natural herb will be the first of its kind in the whole world. We are working strategically to develop the herb. The herb will help young people who needs rehabilitation to easily get away from drug and substance abuse. When the herb is used through drinking, it will help reduce addiction. 

We are targeting to improve the lives of more than 5000 young people in Mutare and in other provinces of Zimbabwe where drug abuse is a mess. We are targeting adolescent boys and girls and young women and men. The costs of rehabilitation is very high in Zimbabwe and currently most youths are suffering from addiction so this natural herb will help to remove these youths from drug abuse related consequences and it will help remove addiction. Many young people are seeking rehabilitation and therefore this will help to conquer addiction and remove rehabilitation related costs.

Among us there are youths who used to abuse drugs and they are now advocating for the stoppage of drug abuse. We directly come from the communities were this is happening and therefore we know the best approaches to the youths who need our services. We are also using the ex drug abusers to call for engagements sessions with these drug abusers as it is the way to go.

We are currently serving 726 boys and 432 girls

We are currently facing financial challenges to scale up and move the project to a higher level. We are also looking for professional support to get dipper into the project and help it to sustain itself.

Its the first one in the whole world and it will have a larger market

We are targeting that in the next five years we will have a drug free society and many young people will conquer addiction. 

Problem》Goal》Users》Success》Resources

This solution is clear and straightforward it aims at reducing the costs associated with rehabilitation by providing a natural herb to conquer addiction. 

Science technology through clinical research centre 

It has worked since we tested it.

We have ex drug users, LGBTIQ community, YPLWHIV

We had funding from Plan International but its now over

We will sell our project and generate income 

We applied for funding from Plan International and we got it but its now exhausted