11/03/2026
Active Youth Zimbabwe (often abbreviated AYZ) started in May 2012 as a self‑help youth group. In 2014 it became a registered youth association under the Ministry of Youth and the Zimbabwe Youth Council (Registration No. BYO 001/2014). Later, on 1 March 2016, AYZ was registered as a trust (Registration No. MA193/2016) with a formal mandate to promote youth and child development in Zimbabwe.
Our work is centred in Bulawayo, but their activities and outreach extend across parts of Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces.
Aims and Objectives
Active Youth Zimbabwe’s core aims and objects revolve around youth empowerment and combating drug abuse:
1. Promote Youth Development and Participation
They exist to promote the full development and realisation of potential by young people so they can fully participate and contribute positively to society. This includes expanding opportunities and choices for youth through holistic, community‑based programmes.
2. Address Youth Vulnerabilities
AYZ focuses on tackling major challenges affecting young people, such as poverty, poor health, illiteracy, unemployment, criminality, immorality, and particularly drug and substance abuse.
3. Drug Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation
A key objective is to combat drug and substance abuse among young people by:
Conducting awareness campaigns and educational outreach on the dangers of drug use.
Establishing and running prevention programmes in schools and communities.
Building a drug rehabilitation centre in Pumula South — intended to provide medical detox, inpatient and outpatient care, aftercare support, tailored treatment programmes and therapeutic interventions for people battling drug addiction.
4. Partnerships and Collaboration
AYZ works with government ministries (e.g., Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Youth), local councils, other NGOs and international partners to strengthen their interventions and reach more young people.
5. Promote Rights and Moral Development
Part of their vision is to cultivate “an active, educated, morally upright and drug‑free Zimbabwean youth that understands, respects and upholds their rights.” This involves education on human rights and moral values, not just addiction prevention.
Activities and Impact
Since its establishment, AYZ has been active in:
Drug abuse campaigns (30+ conducted).
Workshops on drug and substance abuse (25+ sessions).
Children’s rights and gender workshops and teacher trainings on drug abuse programmes.
Community partnerships to enhance youth engagement in constructive activities as alternatives to substance abuse.
