Marketers Association of Zimbabwe has joined the national fight against drug and substance abuse by youths in the country through its Annual Charity Golf.

Drug and substance abuse is a national scourge that is destroying the youths and future leaders of Zimbabwe. Any nation is founded on hope of a bright future and, that bright future is premised on today’s youth, who are entrusted with the responsibility of carrying the country economically, politically, socially, and culturally.

According to a research carried out by the Health Professionals Empowerment Trust in Zimbabwe, 50 percent of admissions to mental institutions have been attributed to substance-induced disorders. The research went on to single out youths as the most affected group of individuals in the country.

The MAZ Charity Foundation, an arm of Marketers Association of Zimbabwe has embarked on a fundraising whose objective is to facilitate income generating projects under the theme ‘Rescue-A-Teen from Substance Abuse’, targeted at teens in the areas of drug and substance abuse in partnership with Teen Rescue Mission Trust.

MAZ Executive Secretary Mr Gillian Rusike said this year, the MAZ Charity Foundation which spearheads the MAZ corporate social responsibility initiatives decided to partner the Teen Rescue Mission Trust in the fight against drug abuse in the country.

“As an Association we have decided to join the national fight against drug and substance abuse. This is a real scourge that requires a collective effort from all citizens and corporates at large,” said Mr Rusike.

He said MAZ this year partnered The Teen Rescue Mission Trust, a non- profit community based organisation which focuses on teens and youths in areas of drug and substance abuse, premature sex and teen crime both in urban and rural areas, with help of different organisations and sponsors.

Mr Rusike said  the Charity Golf Tournament will be held on the 29th of July at the ZRP Golf Club and the target is to raise USD10 000 which will go towards the construction and facilitation of income generating projects on a piece land the Trust acquired in the Seke area.

He said then Association believes in corporate social responsibility programs thus they have made it a mandate to keep on helping those in need.

He appealed to corporates and all golf players to be part of the Charity Golf Tournament.

“We are encouraging both individuals and corporates to come through and tee-off for Charity on Friday.

Partnerships and sponsorships are also welcome,” said Mr Rusike.

Teen Rescue Mission Director, Mr Abraham Matuka highlighted that his organization was grateful for the partnership with MAZ.

“As an organisation which is fighting against the rise of the drug abuse pandemic, we are happy to have MAZ coming on board to empower these youths through projects to be set on the organisation stand.

“We are working towards constructing structures for income generating projects at our stand in Seke and we would also want to start a chicken project which will be run by the youths thereby keeping them busy as well as giving them a source of income. It is mostly unemployment and idleness which drives them to drugs,” said Mr Matuka.

He said the projects will go a long way in empowering the youths and community as well.

MAZ has over the years  been involved in different corporate social responsibility initiatives through the MAZ Charity Golf Tournament that include the ‘donate  a shoe campaign’ which saw the Association handing over school shoes to Chokera Primary School in Masvingo  in 2018 and donated school shoes to Mathew Rusike in Epworth in 2019 as well.

In 2020, proceeds from the Charity Golf Tournament were used to buy sunscreen lotions which were donated to the Zimbabwe Albino Association.

In the same year, the MAZ Charity Foundation responded to the Covid 19 pandemic by donating food baskets and other basic commodities at the Methodist church in Epworth.  

The Charity Foundation also donated stationery to Dambudzo Primary School in the Midlands province. The school had its roof blown away by heavy rains and a lot of infrastructure and learning material was destroyed.

This year, the Charity Foundation handed over food, basic commodities and toiletries to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) in Chinhoyi.

The donation was made possible through proceedings from the 2021 Charity Golf Tournament held under the theme ‘Prison Campaign’ as well as groceries donated by National Foods.

MAZ corporate and individual members participate in the annual tournament but it is a Charity tournament open to everyone who is interested in playing golf.

To partner MAZ on this noble cause please contact Monica on 0784 625 812 or email events@mazim.co.zw