It’s New Year and a good start for Dendera musician Tryson Chimbetu as local community organisation Root Back, has engaged the artiste to help him achieve his dream as a drug abuse survivor.
The organisation which is working with other progressive stakeholders to realign today’s generation to achieve morally upright behaviour and fight other vices like drug abuse, as well as gender-based violence roped in Tryson in its outreach programmes.
Of his partnership with Root Back, Tryson said he felt honoured to be part of a noble initiative to right the societal wrongs that are leading to drug and substance abuse, while playing his part by sharing his experiences and how he has been able to stand on his feet again.
“I believe everything happens for a reason. It’s not easy to fall into substance abuse and find your feet again, but I am grateful to family and friends for helping me to fight through this experience. I am a living testimony of the endless possibilities even amidst the challenges.
“Being part of the Root Back family is thus an honour and a good opportunity to share my story and experiences in a way that inspires hope and positive change in society,” Tryson said.
Speaking recently at an event held at The International Wellness Centre in Ruwa, the organisation’s founder Thelma Tapiwa Maina said they are complementing government efforts in fighting drug abuse and other social vices and they are happy to work with influencers like Tryson Chimbetu who have survived substance abuse.
“Root Back is all about realigning today’s generation so that instead of vilifying them as a lost group, we redirect them towards the rights values, and ethos that define who we are as a people. I believe that is the first step towards bringing this generation back.
“Yes, the Government is playing its part with ongoing outreach programmes to instil our values and culture. Even more important is the national fight against drug and substance abuse and we are happy to have roped in Tryson Chimbetu, a substance abuse survivor in our work. His story is inspiring and we hope it brings hope amongst the victims of substance abuse,” she said.
While finding the right path towards personal growth and development is challenging Maina, a wife, mother, and passionate entrepreneur told The Herald Arts that she is determined to make a difference in the lives of others.
“My personal experience with family members wasting away to the general degeneration of society especially with this Ama2K narrative pushed me to establish Root Back Foundation, a transformative initiative that aims to empower individuals and communities.
“All this stemmed from a personal experience with my sister, who had fallen in with the wrong crowd. Determined to assist my sister and prevent other children from going down a similar path, I delved into research and discovered that some families unknowingly contribute to negative behaviour in children, hence the need for a shift in how we perceive today’s generation and upbring them,” she said.
Through Root Back, Maina intends to harness these powerful tools to initiate transformation and uplift societal well-being.
“With a strong emphasis on parental involvement, Root Back seeks to provide guidance, support, and educational resources to families, enabling them to nurture positive values and behaviours in their children.
We are bridging the gap between parents, teachers, and communities and we envision a future where individuals grow up with strong moral foundations and a sense of responsibility to their communities,” Maina said.
Root Back is built upon the core values of culture, respect, and growth. We all come from culturally rooted families and a religion that cherishes African traditions, hence the need to embrace God’s work and cultural values to positively impact communities.
The event which was attended by survivors of substance abuse, parents, social workers, and development practitioners as well as the founder of The International Wellness Centre and some resident clients gave a good platform to discuss pertinent issues to substance abuse and how society and families are directly and indirectly furling this scourge.
“We all have a role to play in fighting drug and substance abuse. Unfortunately, we have witnessed wanton commercialisation of this problem instead of seeking lasting solutions.
“It is thus imperative that we work together with the Government and other stakeholders in finding a solution to this challenge. It is not going to be easy but victory is certain,” explained Dr Nkululeko Dewa of The International Wellness Centre.
