Chronicle Editor
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
SPORT has the power to change lives. The ability to drive gender equality by teaching women and girls teamwork, self-reliance, resilience and confidence.
Women in sport defy gender stereotypes and social norms, make inspiring role models, and epitomise men and women as equals.
In that regard, it is interesting to note that 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions, Chicken Inn, has among other stakeholders from across the sports ecosystem, become part of a powerful coalition to make gender equality a reality in and through sport as the club has appointed 30-year-old Nokuthaba Lisa Sibanda to the position of club treasurer. She takes over from Makhanyiso Moyo.
The former treasurer has been reassigned to the position of board member development and logistics in a leadership team that has Lifa Ncube, Juta Tshuma, Tavengwa Hara as well as Trevor Jakachira as club president, chairman, secretary-general and board member marketing respectively.
“As a club, we have had women in our executive before and I can confirm that we have since appointed Nokuthaba Lisa Sibanda as our new club treasurer. This is a development that we have to celebrate as it has also come at a time Simbisa Brands is also in the process of celebrating its own Women’s Month.
She has been passionate about football as she has been attending all our home games. She is a qualified accountant and we believe she will do well,” said Ncube.
To Sibanda, a holder of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting and Finance and MSc in Finance and Investing, her appointment is a move that will further accelerate efforts to promote women’s leadership, encourage equal participation and provide equal opportunities for girls in sport.
“I’m happy for the role I have been given at Chicken Inn. The appointment has come at a time when football leadership has been male-dominated. As such I am now challenged to do well for the club’s benefit. I have been a Chicken Inn fan for long and this job opportunity hands me with a new challenge.
I’m now also challenged to challenge men in positions of influence,” said Sibanda, daughter of former Zifa vice-president and ex-Highlanders committee member Omega Sibanda.
She added: “At home we have always been passionate about football as we are all Arsenal fans. I come from a family of three girls and one boy and as girls, our father has always pushed us to be independent women who are able to challenge men. I must say my father and my brother Mqondisi played a very big role in cultivating a soft spot for football in me. As women, we should come out in numbers and join the football industry as there is always a need for one to diversify and be part of the sports world.”
Nokuthaba, who was previously an attaché at Chicken Inn and Simbisa Brands, was offered a full time job as Accounts Clerk in December 2018.
From 17 participants, she has been the only female attending the three-day Chicken Inn Football Club strategic workshop that is set to end today.
“This workshop has come at the right time for me. I have learnt a lot about the game. I’m also happy that I’m taking over from an open-minded person Makhanyiso Moyo whom I think will be able to help me. He will be my right hand man,” said Sibanda-@FungaiMuderere
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