malvernmugadzikwa
Tadious Manyepo
MBARE kids are often caught in the web of social ills before they are even teenagers.
They are not to blame.
Some of their parents eke out a living by engaging in various activities, some of which cross the line that defines crime.
It is a way of life in this popular and sprawling Harare suburb.
But there seems to be a way out, especially for the kids.
On a hot Saturday afternoon, hundreds — aged between 10 and 21 — are gathered at Harare High School.
They are attentively listening to a lecture by five 11-year-olds — Lionel Tuboyi, Tafadzwa Sadziwa, Munashe Mutsikadowo, Tichaona Kunaka and Neymar Konono.
The five are the shining football stars from Jadel Football Academy.
But the lecture, which they are delivering with the intermittent help of academy manager Primrose Serima, is not a football one. They are talking and expertly demonstrating how to make pizza.
It is one key career opportunity they learnt about during their month-long stay in China. Together with Tashinga Wilbesi — who remained in China, where he could enrol for school starting this September — the quintet was in the Asian country for three football tournaments under Jadel Academy Zimbabwe.
They won two of the five-aside contests, the Taiwoo Invitational and Shandong International, much to the delight of the Zimbabwe Embassy in China, led by Ambassador Martin Chedondo.
They got exposure to top-of-the-range training facilities in China and world-class methods, thanks to the academy’s president, Walter “Ringers” Musanhu.
But for the four weeks they were in China, it was not only about football.
They returned home two weeks ago equipped with skills, one of which they are using to potentially change lives in Mbare.
“In China, football is taken seriously, but they equally value education so much that carrying academic books to read before and after training seasons is part of their culture. We had books for our kids as well, and they now know how important it is for them to excel in both sport and academics,” said Serima.
She said Chinese parents support their children and they rarely miss games.
“We also participated in cultural exchange programmes, with the help of our embassy, whose staff always attended games and cheered the team on.
“But above all, our kids learnt a lot of vocational skills, including making pizza. We are already imparting the knowledge they gained to others in Mbare so as to reduce social ills.
“We are not only targeting Mbare, but other areas, too. That is the beauty of the game. I would like to thank Musanhu for starting this academy in China.
“It is now changing lives, not just through football, but also mindset change, especially in Mbare.”
The boys are equally thrilled and ready to share skills they learnt in China while advancing their football knowledge.
Tuboyi said the visit to China gave him a new perspective about life.
“I had never boarded an aeroplane,” he said.
Konono echoed the same sentiments.
“I am going to continue working hard to become a professional footballer,” Konono said.
“We enjoyed ourselves so much in China. We won two of the three tournaments we contested in and we are no longer at the same level that we were at before going to China. I am very happy. We learnt so many skills, including pizza making.
“We are sharing the skills, even with grown-up men who can start their own businesses. I love football so much because I now have extra skills just because of football.”
Ex-Dynamos and Motor Action defender Musanhu founded the academy in Beijing, China, before he established a local branch based at Harare High School three years ago. Some of the domestic game’s enthusiasts have reportedly inundated him with calls to apply for a coaching job with one of the national youth teams.
He however, did not apply, but was humbled by the suggestions to take his development thrust to a national scale.
Online Reporter