From addiction recovery to a mission of hope
Columbus Tapiwa Mushore is a Zimbabwe social entrepreneur, photojournalist and founder and chairman of Heal Us Zimbabwe, an organisation focused on drug and substance abuse prevention, awareness, recovery and advocacy.
His work was shaped by a personal experience with drug addiction and rehabilitation, which exposed him to the effects substance abuse can have on individuals, families and communities.
That experience motivated Mushore to turn a difficult chapter of his life into a mission to help others avoid or overcome addiction.
Speaking to The List Awards by Identities Media Holdings, Mushore said his personal journey showed him the need for greater education, support and timely intervention.
“Having personally experienced the devastating effects of drug addiction and gone through rehabilitation, I understood how substance abuse can destroy individuals, families and communities,” he said.
In 2022, Mushore founded Heal Us Zimbabwe, which has since worked to raise awareness about drug and substance abuse through community and school outreach programmes, media engagements and national awareness campaigns.
The organisation has also organised long-distance awareness walkathons connecting communities and provinces, reaching people in both urban and rural areas.
Its programmes have brought together young people, families, schools, churches and other stakeholders around prevention and recovery. One of Mushore’s key goals is to establish a rehabilitation centre that will provide a safe environment for people struggling with addiction.
“My work was inspired by my own personal journey and the desire to turn a difficult experience into hope for others,” he said.
Mushore’s professional background in journalism has also exposed him to social challenges affecting communities, particularly young people, strengthening his commitment to advocacy and community campaigns.
As a semi-finalist under the Humanitarian Impact Award for the List Awards 2026, Mushore said the recognition would acknowledge both his personal journey and the collective efforts of people working with Heal Us Zimbabwe.
“For me, recognition is an opportunity to amplify the message that recovery is possible, lives can be rebuilt, and every young person deserves a future free from addiction,” he said.
He said his mission would continue regardless of the awards outcome, with plans to expand Heal Us Zimbabwe’s programmes and establish a rehabilitation centre. “Whether I win or lose, the mission remains the same,” Mushore said.
The next chapter of Mushore’s work is therefore centred on taking that message further, reaching more communities, expanding recovery programmes and building a place where people battling addiction can find support, healing and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.