Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube, Sports Reporter
A businesswoman from Bulilima District in Matabeleland South province has established a netball and a football team with the aim of helping unearth and nurture abundant talent in her rural area.
Nobukhosi Ditima, who is passionate about sport in general, runs a grocery store at Diba Business Centre as well as a poultry and farming project at her homestead.
“I grew up loving sport in Nemane, Tsholotshso, where I was born and when I came to Diba through marriage, I decided to uplift the youths through my love for sports. I established Diba Football and Diba Netball clubs, which I assist both teams financially,” said Ditima.
She said her wish is to see the players in her team breaking into the county’s topflight leagues or even plying their trade outside the country where they can reap huge financial rewards.
“It pains me that these kids love sports, but they are playing for peanuts in our unorganised leagues. Most of the girls in the teams are orphans that come from difficult environments. Our competitions are not well funded because sometimes they share R500 among themselves, which is nothing really. So, I am giving them a platform to launch their careers.”
She said by forming the netball and football teams, she is also helping keep young people away from abusing drugs and other ills, which is rampant in rural areas.
“Sport is a great vehicle for fighting negative practice. When the youths spend time busy, they have no time to engage in those practices which destroy their future. We are on the ground Monday to Friday, which means the youths are spending their time productively,” she said.
In addition to the sport teams, she also provides advice and counselling services to her young players so that they make informed decisions about their lives.
Even though she is not qualified, Ditima says she has won many competitions her teams have participated in and was planning to enrol for coaching clinics and attend football administration courses because she has great plans for sports in her village.
“My wish is to have a proper running academy, which can produce local sports heroes. I will make time and attend courses on how to run an academy and soccer in general so that we are professional and can easily link up with big clubs. We have gone as far as Tsholotsho to play against other teams and although it eats into my pocket, I won’t tire because I am doing what I love. I am setting a foundation and after that the players will sign contracts so that the club can benefit when they make a breakthrough into the topflight.
“We have talented players here and I challenge teams in bigger leagues to cast their nets wider by coming to watch our tournaments. They will get some talented young players they can polish through their professional set up,” Ditima said.
She appealed to national sports bodies such as Zifa to help them organise themselves at the grassroots so that they are recognised.
The businesswoman said her South African-based husband supports her by providing kits for her teams and urged other women to be proactive in their communities because they have the potential to change their areas.
“I started low selling small things like sweets and grew to where I am now. At home I have not employed anyone to assist me, I keep chickens, do farming, run a shop and my sports teams. Am trying to show other women that we can do it. We should not only rely on our husbands, but we should self-empower.
“I do not tolerate failure in life, so this sports venture will flourish like my other businesses. I hope that one day I will have a player who will break into bigger leagues and make the happiest woman on earth,” she said. – @themkhust
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