A second chance: Rehabilitated youths to undergo youth service

By Itai Mazire

At the edge of Harare’s bustling suburbs, a quiet revolution is taking shape one built not on slogans or politics, but on redemption. The government has unveiled a new policy that will see young people who have completed rehabilitation for drug addiction integrated into the national youth service programme before moving into vocational training.

The plan seeks to transform recovery into opportunity, offering a structured path for reformed addicts to rebuild their lives, gain new skills, and play an active role in national development.

During a tour of the Restore Life Rehabilitation Centre in the Borrowdale, Youth Minister Tino Machakaire described the initiative as a vital component of the national fight against drug abuse a crisis that has gripped communities and stolen the futures of countless young Zimbabweans.

“For too long, our young people have been lost to the darkness of drugs like crystal meth and cough syrup,” Machakaire said, addressing a group of recovering addicts and counsellors.

“When they find the courage to emerge from that darkness, we cannot turn our backs on them. This programme is about national healing and productivity. We are saying to every rehabilitated youth: your country needs you. You have fought a great battle and won.”

Under the new framework, only those who have completed certified rehabilitation and been declared drug-free by health professionals will be admitted into the national youth service.

The initiative will be followed by vocational training designed to equip participants with practical skills for employment or entrepreneurship.

For Jonathan Muchengeti, founder and director of Restore Life Rehabilitation Centre, the announcement marks a personal triumph.

“My inspiration came from walking the streets and seeing the emptiness in the eyes of our youth,” he said softly.

“We didn’t start Restore Life just to get people sober. We wanted to restore identity, purpose, and dignity. A rehabilitated addict is not a broken person they are proof of resilience and renewal.”

He believes the government’s policy closes the loop between recovery and reintegration.

“It gives our graduates something real to look forward to a place to belong, a role to play. It completes the cycle of restoration.”

Among those applauding the move is veteran broadcaster and social commentator Rebecca Chisamba, whose television programme often highlights the country’s social challenges.

“This is a step of compassion and vision,” she said.

“Drugs have been tearing our families apart, killing our children, destroying hope. Seeing these young men and women being given a chance to serve the nation shows that Zimbabwe has not given up on them or on its future.”