adminBunjira believes many talented young players in most low-income suburbs are watching their dreams of making it as professional players fade away because of lack of support.
“Many a talent has gone unnoticed in poor underprivileged areas.
“The talent is going to waste with the players never utilising their God-given talent to their benefit and never leaving these residential areas for the rest of their lives.
“Albun Academy intends to reverse that by identifying the soccer talent in these underprivileged areas and help the boys reach their dreams and make something out of life.
“We have discovered awesome talent in Chitungwiza and we continue to do so. With help, support and guidance, the sky can only be the limit for these boys.”
The former Darryn T and CAPS United player, who hopes to “catch them young and make them big”, has been struggling to convince the corporate world to chip in with sponsorship.
Bunjira insists that it is in the grassroots level that the country needs to start rebuilding.
He believes the football talent he discovered in Under-18 boys and girls in Chitungwiza is probably a mirror of the Zimbabwean society at large.
“This is not about Zifa; we need to do it for these kids and the future of the game in Zimbabwe. So companies need to come in knowing that the talent of the future generation is given direction.
“My ambition is to make it a national Academy that will accommodate kids from all walks of life in the country. I wish to travel as far as Binga scouting for talent and making sure that those kids are exposed to the right training equipment and see them mature in football.
“At the moment we are based in Chitungwiza and I am determined to see this project expanding. With (Wieslaw) Grabowski’s training regime I will never go wrong.
“It is sad that we don’t have a good junior league to expose our young players to much competition. I am hoping that with time we can sit down with other soccer academies and see to it that we start something (junior league).
“Not only will the kids benefit on the field of play. Life skill lessons will also be conducted.
“We need to raise professionals on the field and well mannered players with proper guidance on and off the field.
“We are making sure that parents’ concerns of the kids’ education being distracted by playing football are considered. Playing football does not mean one will fail in
school and neither does doing well in school mean a person cannot do well as a footballer,” said Bunjira.
“Education can never be affected by sport in a bad way. Sports give kids a chance to re-energise and refresh their mind.
“Soccer gave me an education and it can also make a great impact to these kids if they get scholarships to further their studies.”
ALBUN Soccer Academy was founded three months ago. The name originates from the first name and surname of the founder, the retired 37-year-old.
Bunjira, who was joined by UK-based football fan Panganai Kasenza, is running the Academy in partnership with Zengeza 1 High School in Chitungwiza.
They train over 50 kids weekdays and over the weekend.
Online Reporter