By Tatiana Mhararira
In a nation grappling with the devastating grip of drug addiction, one young man’s remarkable journey offers a beacon of hope. Without the aid of rehabilitation centres or government support, his story is one of personal triumph over addiction as he fought his way out of the darkness of substance abuse and into a life of purpose.
His harrowing journey from the depths of drug addiction to a life full of hope and potential is a testament to the human spirit’s capacity for transformation.
Born and bred in Masvingo Brave Mutava (27) passed his Ordinary and Advanced levels with flying colours at Ndarama High in Masvingo but failed to proceed to tertiary triggering his involvement drug abuse.
“In 2015 I finished my A level but failed to continue with my education because of financial challenges. Coming from a poor background, I have several siblings who needed to go to school as well.
“With nothing to do, I had to stay at home alone most of the time because my parents lived out of town. I got involved with people who exposed me to dangerous drugs such as mbanje, broncleer and maragada from around 2015 to 2016,” said Mutava.
Mutava’s drug addiction worsened to the extent that at some point he got employed but his whole salary lost to drugs.
“I got employed in 2019 and became less burden to my family but because I had become an addict, I used my salary to buy drugs. I left the job, sold my phone and returned home.
“In March 2020 I went to South Africa where I was introduced to new drugs like mutoriro. I got employed, started living alone and had a simple life to buy drugs because guka went for as little as R30. From 2019 to 2021 I took guka full time. We were now being named champions of the drugs,” he said.
He said mutoriro had negative effects on his life while he was in South Africa where he got injured leading to his return home later.
“One day I got injured and I did not feel it because I was high after taking guka. I told my brother about the injury but I never endured pain after taking the drug so I continued taking it so that I won’t feel any pain.
“I was admitted at a local hospital for two weeks but I would go out to look for guka using the money my brother would give me after hospital visits,” he said.
Mutawa said after getting discharged, during the Covid-19 lockdown, he lived a hard life since he was not employed and his relatives decided to send him back home to Zimbabwe.
“During the Covid 19 lockdown I survived with Indian food aid which was given to people in Pretoria. My relatives having seen the type of life I was living contributed money for me to return to Zimbabwe but personally I did not want to return. My brother paid for the bus fare and gave the other money to the bus driver so that he would give me upon arrival at Exor.
“I was only given R50 to buy food along the way. The money I was given could not sustain me so I had no option other than returning home. Back home I failed to blend with other family members,” he said.
He said his journey to recovery began when he was sent to the rural areas having failed to live with others in town because of his character.
“After having problems with family members in Renco Mine compound, I was sent to our rural area in Zaka where I had no access to money. I could only get mbanje and beer only. So from March 2022 up to the end of the year I failed to get the drugs I was used to and that changed me. I got help from my grandmother who gave me milk and other traditional therapies and that family rehabilitation was helpful for me.
“I told myself that I wanted to change so that I live a purposeful life. When I finally came back to town, I stayed in Victoria Ranch,”
He said he went to church in a bid to redeem himself and started selling popcorn, a business he learnt in South Africa but after getting the little money, he tried getting back to drugs but fought off the urge after considering several factors including losing the little he got from selling popcorn.
“I started selling popcorn a business that I had seen some doing in South Africa. After I got money I looked for those who sold drugs and wanted to return to the old fashion. After taking drugs I would lose capital and had no one to help me bounce back to business or even cater for my utilities. That’s when I told myself that I want to stop, remembering my grand mother’s words and effort, I went to church and they prayed for me,” he said.
Mutava encouraged others who are into drugs to stop and urged them to work hard saying drugs were destroying lives.
“Drugs destroy life and future of individuals taking them. I am now into business full time because if people realize that you are doing something fruitful they support you.
So I urge those who are into drugs to find something to do to occupy themselves otherwise they lose lives,” said Matawa.
Mutava is a proud owner of Brave Snacks, Spices and Events a growing initiative which he hopes to grow into a company when funds permit.
With funds permitting he also hopes to further his studies now in line with business.
