Story by Tafara Chikumira
GWERU-A local fitness social club has taken the campaign against drug and substance abuse to communities across the country, mobilising youth to embrace sport and counselling as healthier alternatives.
Kristal Fitness Social Club, led by a team of fitness trainers and qualified counsellors, is traversing Zimbabwe city by city in a nationwide outreach campaign to educate young people on the dangers of drug use and promote active lifestyles.
So far, the team has reached out to communities in Harare and Mutare, and is currently conducting awareness activities in Gweru, moving from one suburb to the next.
Director of the club, Mr Lycan White, said their efforts are in support of the national thrust to curb the growing menace of drug and substance abuse, which continues to threaten the future of Zimbabwe’s youth.
“We have seen Government’s initiative in fighting the vice. We said to ourselves, we also have a duty to play in preserving future generations. The issue of drug and substance abuse is real, and most people only want to act when it is their relative or child involved. We need to take strides in dealing with this problem if we are to win the war. Our message is very clear let us work together to fight the scourge,” he said.
The club’s unique approach combines fitness training with professional counselling, offering young people practical tools to avoid or overcome addiction.
Kristal Stoddart, a certified counsellor with the club, highlighted the importance of addressing underlying social and emotional factors that drive youth to drugs.
“A lot of people end up being addicts as a result of trying to experiment. A lot of people are going through a lot and some end up thinking that engaging in drugs is a form of escape yet they end up messed up. As such we need to continuously give people counseling on financial discipline and living within their means,” she said.
Meanwhile, fitness trainer Natasha Landberg emphasised that engaging in sport can positively transform lives by boosting confidence and mental well-being.
“Engaging in sports is fun and also provides entertainment. It gives people something to focus on, which helps them avoid boredom one of the main causes of drug abuse. Sport also promotes fitness and self-confidence, something many drug users seek in harmful ways,” she said.
The club’s initiative feeds into Zimbabwe’s Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024–2030), which was approved by Cabinet in 2023 as part of a comprehensive national response to the rising threat of drug misuse.
As the fitness social club continues its journey across provinces, its message remains one of hope, resilience, and national solidarity in protecting youth and preserving the future.
