R&M Writer
Chevrons coach Dave Houghton will embark on a charity walk to raise money for the establishment of a drug rehabilitation facility.
Houghton intends to walk 50km as part of an initiative to raise US$250 000 for the setting up the entre. Former international cricketer and Chevrons batsman Brendan Taylor has in the past also embarked on a charity walk towards the same cause.
“The Big Walk” – as the initiative is called – will take place on August 19 at Borrowdale Race Course in Harare.
This is not the first time that Houghton has embarked on a charity initiative to raise funds for a project. In 1998 he walked from Bulawayo to Harare and managed to raise US$40 000 for the construction of the CFX Cricket Academy.
This time, he is hoping that his efforts will help in setting up a facility that will be able to offer rehabilitation services to recovering drug addicts.
Zimbabwe is battling with drug and substance abuse – especially among the youth – who engage in the intake of illicit drugs such as cannabis, crystal meth, cocaine and a cocktail of other illegal substances.
A lack of support systems, such as facilities where rehabilitation can be offered at an affordable price, has further compounded the situation.
This is what motivated Houghton to join forces with Taylor in this initiative.
Taylor, one of the most promising batsman to emerge from Zimbabwe, is himself a victim of drug abuse and is serving a three and a half year ban from all forms of cricket after he was found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption and anti-doping codes.