By 
*By Ross Moyo*
NetOne is leveraging its voice, data and connectivity platforms to support community-led efforts to protect children from drug and substance abuse, framing child safety as a shared digital and social responsibility.
“It takes a community to protect a child,” NetOne Public Relations Spokesperson Ernest Magadzire said, announcing that NetOne will distribute Speak, Listen, Guide, Support resources through its network to empower families and leaders.
The campaign visual shows parents and a child together, reinforcing NetOne’s message that “it starts with us. It stays with us”. Magadzire said technology must strengthen, not replace, human relationships when safeguarding young people.
Drug abuse, he warned, affects education outcomes, health systems, employment prospects and community development. To counter this, NetOne will push zero-rated access to child safety content and connect users to counselling and rehabilitation referral lines via mobile money.
Magadzire detailed the community framework: Families show love and support at home; Schools educate and inspire in classrooms; Churches nurture values and hope; Community leaders lead by example; Businesses invest in youth programs; Government creates policies and support structures.
“Stronger families. Safer communities. Brighter futures,” he said. NetOne’s role is to ensure these groups can communicate, coordinate and access information quickly through reliable voice and data services.
The campaign also reinforces the Ministry of ICT’s Child Online Safety Policy. Magadzire stressed that parents, schools and tech companies must share responsibility for keeping children safe online, as digital spaces become new fronts in the drug fight.
NetOne supports the National Drug and Substance Abuse Awareness Campaign in line with Vision 2030 and NDS2. The operator said rural connectivity expansion is critical so no community is left out of protection efforts.
From a product angle, NetOne is reviewing content policies and advertising standards to ensure its platforms do not amplify harmful drug-related content. Magadzire said responsible connectivity is part of building a digital economy anchored on dignity.
“Together, we can build a drug-free Zimbabwe,” he concluded. NetOne called on all stakeholders to use their networks, platforms and influence to protect children, because community action today secures national prosperity tomorrow.
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