EVERY STEP TELLS A STORY: A 23-DAY NATIONAL MARCH FOR A DRUG-FREE ZIMBABWE
When NetOne and Heal Us Zimbabwe joined forces to launch a 23-day walkathon from Beitbridge to Harare, they were not simply organising a march. They were making a statement: the fight against drug and substance abuse cannot be won in isolation. It demands partnership, shared vision and a willingness to walk the same difficult road that addicts must tread every day.
That walkathon, which runs from 27 June to 19 July 2026 under the banner “Together We Rise, United We Heal,” is the most visible expression of a deepening collaboration between Zimbabwe’s leading telecommunications company and a grassroots organisation founded by a drug survivor. Together, they are proving that corporate power and community experience, when united, can move a nation.
The statistics that drove them to act are stark. Drug use among young Zimbabweans surged from 43% in 2017 to over 57% by 2019, with consequences that have torn through families, schools and workplaces. President Mnangagwa has declared the crisis a national emergency, and NetOne—Zimbabwe’s state-owned mobile network operator—has responded not with token gestures but with a sustained, multi-layered campaign that places the Heal Us Zimbabwe partnership at its core.
“We are running towards a future where our youth reject substance abuse,” said NetOne Group chief executive officer, Eng. Raphael Mushanawani commenting before the Beitbridge launch of the walkathon. “As NetOne, we are honoured to play a central role in this revolution. But we cannot do it alone. Heal Us Zimbabwe brings the lived experience, the frontline truth, and the human face of recovery. That is why this partnership matters.”
Columbus Tapiwa Mushore, founder of Heal Us Zimbabwe, knows that truth intimately. A former addict who rebuilt his life, he has dedicated his organisation to reaching young people in the trenches of addiction. His partnership with NetOne has transformed what might have been a symbolic awareness campaign into a movement with tangible reach. Together, they have designed a message that travels not just through fibre-optic cables but through the soles of walkers covering more than 500 kilometres from the country’s southern border to its capital.
Engineer Mushanawani went on and explained the synergy: “NetOne believes that connectivity is not only about technology but also about connecting people to opportunities, hope and a better future. Heal Us Zimbabwe connects us to the ground reality. They tell us what works, what hurts, and what gives young people a reason to choose life. Our job is to amplify that voice across our entire network—voice, data, mobile money, and internet services.”
The partnership extends far beyond digital messaging. On the ground, NetOne and Heal Us Zimbabwe have taken the campaign into schools, community halls, and youth centres, where face-to-face dialogues break down the stigma of addiction and offer real pathways to rehabilitation. The walkathon itself is a rolling classroom, with each day’s march accompanied by counselling sessions, testimonies from former addicts, and community engagements that turn spectators into participants.
Eng. Mushanawani has been clear about the philosophy driving the alliance. “The same technology that distracts can also rehabilitate and educate—and NetOne is determined to be part of that solution,” he said. “Heal Us Zimbabwe shows us where the need is greatest. Together, we are turning connectivity into a lifeline.”
That lifeline is already reaching vulnerable youth with digital counselling and rehabilitation support, while also linking anti-drug efforts to Zimbabwe’s broader Vision 2030 development goals. “A productive, healthy youth population is critical if Zimbabwe is to achieve its economic targets,” Mushanawani noted. “This partnership is not just about saving lives today—it is about securing the nation’s future.”
Now on Day 4 of the journey towards Harare, the Walkathon has become more than a physical challenge—it has become a symbol of resilience and hope. Along the route, walkers have been met with water, encouragement, and support from strangers who have become part of the journey—a mirror of the recovery process itself, where no one overcomes addiction alone. Day 4 reminds us that transformation is not defined by how a journey begins, but by the determination to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
The closing call of the campaign carries the weight of that shared resolve: “Your future is in your hands. Say No to Drugs. Say Yes to Life.” For NetOne and Heal Us Zimbabwe, those words are not a slogan—they are a covenant, signed with every step from Beitbridge to Harare, and with every life they have resolved to save.