Moffat Mungazi
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
A REMARKABLE revolution is unfolding in a rural village deep in Makoni District, where young girls have been given a golden opportunity to showcase their unique football skills in a professional setup.
This was made possible through the passionate efforts of community members who are pooling resources to empower the girl child.
For Vongai Hofisi (14), Ropafadzo Muchiziyi (15), Blessmore Tangwena (14), Tawanayasha Mutanda (14), and other budding soccer players, playing football was previously unimaginable, as they had grown up believing it was a sport reserved for boys.
However, the launch of Passion Academy has changed this narrative, providing them with the opportunity to represent their school, Handina Adventist Secondary School, and compete in the ZIFA Women Eastern Region Division One League.
The rural girls were, not merely making up the numbers; they were competing for the top honour – the league championship – which they achieved in style during the previous season.
Defying their rural background, they outshone established teams from urban areas and lifted the coveted trophy.
Passion Queens, a team under the Passion Academy umbrella, comprises mainly players under the age of 15.
This is a deliberate effort by the team’s United States-based president, Regis Mvenge to promote talented young rural girls, and provide them with a platform to showcase their skills.
The team has already produced players who have played for teams in the Zimbabwe Women Premier Soccer League across the country.
“We are based in Rukweza Village, and our home ground is Handina Adventist Secondary School grounds. We basically did not have anything when we started this club, including the balls. We used to borrow playing kits from the school. Our academy is rural-based, which encompasses community members.
“Our vision is to tap talent from rural areas, develop and export it to other clubs nationally or internationally. I have been a teacher for a longtime, and I discovered that in rural areas there is a lot of raw talent. Players in rural areas normally play football when they are at school and after that they have nothing to do. In the case of girls, most of them end up getting married early.
“We also aim to keep our youths busy and occupied with worthwhile activities, steering them away from tempting situations. When youths are idle, they often engage in undesirable behaviours such as theft, drug and alcohol abuse. One of the issues we are addressing through football is early marriage.
“The academy is, not only absorbing local talent, but also keeping the community entertained. Although we still have a way to go, we are making strides.
We are working on developing the school’s sporting facilities into a state-of-the-art infrastructure. In two years’ time, Handina Adventist Secondary School will have an artificial turf. Our ultimate goal is to produce as many players as possible who can make it into world football leagues. We want to motivate people in the community to understand that one can lead a decent life and earn a good income from sports.
“Our mission is to produce professional players from rural areas.
We have sourced kits from Turkey, Pakistan, South Africa, and the USA. Some of my former schoolmates at Mutare Boys’ High School are assisting us in sourcing jerseys and boots for the players. Football is a unifier, and we are trying to uplift others. For football to truly grow, it must develop at the grassroots level. The girls did extremely well in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One where they won the league, but is subject to confirmation through the boardroom. Our team is predominantly made up of players under the age of 15,” said Mvenge from his Texas base.
Club director and head coach, Innocent Charambavamwe said they have brought in football legends, including Dickson Choto, Justice Majabvi, Ronald Sengu, former Mighty Warriors captain and coach, Rosemary Mugadza, and her former vice-captain, Erina Mujeke to motivate and inspire the girls to take sports seriously.
He said the club requires stable sponsorship to remain afloat.
“We are identifying and developing talent in rural areas, which are often overlooked by most sports clubs. We facilitate the development of young players to reach their full potential. Several of our girls are now playing for top-flight teams across the country.”
Charambavamwe noted that the community has been supportive, accepting that girls can also play football.
“The misconception that soccer is only for males has been successfully debunked here. The community now understands that girls can play and excel in soccer,” he said, adding that the community is assisting them with transport costs for away games, as the academy does not have its own bus.
“Since the club does not have a sponsor, parents are contributing what they can to keep the club running. Our main wish is to secure corporate sponsors, enabling us to move beyond our current hand-to-mouth existence. We have talented players with bright futures ahead,” said Charambavamwe.
Vongai Hofisi, who plays in the left-back position, said besides developing football skills, the club also provides guidance and counselling, which helps her live an incident-free life.
“Football has enabled me to focus on positive pursuits and avoid mischievous behaviour. It has also helped me develop physically. My ultimate goal is to play overseas and represent my country. I am managing to balance football and education well,” she said.
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