HOME IS WHERE THE HEART, SAYS FORWARD. . . Ireland-based journalist to open academies in Murehwa

H-Metro Reporter 

IT’S never easy for a rural boy or girl to get the same football opportunities as their counterparts in urban areas  because there are less platforms in remote areas. 

Getting a decent training kit is a long ask for most budding footballers in a rural set-up. 

It gets worse for some in areas such as Murehwa, where there are no proper football academies, or organised junior football leagues. 

But, for aspiring footballers in the Mukarakate area of Murehwa, this could change, following the establishment of an academy by an Ireland-based medical practitioner and journalist Forward Nyanyiwa. 

The Forward Nyanyiwa Academy is the beginning of a transformative journey that could see hundreds of aspiring footballers in Murehwa getting a chance to showcase their talents. 

According to Nyanyiwa, who is working with partners from Ireland, five more academies will be launched at Nhowe Mission, Virginia, Macheke, Karimazondo and Dombwe. 

“The academies will target boys from 12 to 18 years. The idea is to scout for talent and then expose the rural boys to competitions against their urban counterparts,” Nyanyiwa told H-Metro from his base in Carlow, Ireland.

Nyanyiwa is brokering links with Carlow-based football academies, some of which might visit Zimbabwe in an exchange programme. 

“Plans are underway to twin the academies with the Ireland-based football nurseries in the first of its kind in local football. Some soccer academies in Ireland are eager to visit Zimbabwe in ground-breaking visits, while folks from Murehwa will also get the chance of visiting Carlow.” 

Through his Forward Nyanyiwa Foundation, Nyanyiwa has pledged to sponsor a primary schools tournament in Murehwa. 

“We are sponsoring a primary schools football tournament in the second term. We are targeting to have 12 schools and we are scheduling the tournament in a way that it doesn’t clash with but complement the traditional Ministry’s football calendar,” said Nyanyiwa. 

“The FN primary schools tournament will afford kids a chance to compete at local level. There will be prizes for winners and runners-up as well as individual prizes for the best players.”