admin
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
PREMIER Soccer League chairman Farai Jere is a man on a mission.
Already touching many lives through football, the CAPS United president wants to transform rural children through education.
He has adopted at least 14 000 primary school learners from 31 schools in Murehwa for whom he is paying fees from Grade 1 to Grade 7.
Jere, the Green Machine’s most successful president on the African Safari front, officially launched the massive initiative in Murehwa West constituency at a packed Rusike Primary school ground on Monday, with some parents and guardians shedding tears of joy.
The charismatic football administrator had initially been paying fees for all children in Grades One and Two at the 31 schools.
But he has decided to up the ante and is now paying tuition fees for all the learners at the primary school in the area, regardless of their backgrounds.
Speaking during the official launch of the initiative, Jere said he was touched by the plight of rural children some of whom are orphaned and come from child-headed families.
He also believes that the rural areas are a huge talent hub for football that has not been harnessed.
And having watched such players like former goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro emerge from rural Gokwe to become the CAPS United and Zimbabwe number one, Jere needs no convincing about what lies in the rural areas.
“I am delighted to say that I have paid tuition for close to 14 000 kids at 31 schools.
“Originally, the plan was to pay fees for only Grade Ones and Twos in those 31 schools.
“But, we later realised that the parents and guardians are overburdened given the scarcity of financial resources,” said Jere.
“Against this background, we decided to adopt all the students at primary school level.
“Our vision is to see every pupils attend class without any interruption.”
He also added his voice on the on-going national battle against drug and substance abuse.
“We are in the midst of a very critical war where our youths are abusing drugs.
“We have to implement measures that will make them shy away from damaging habits.
“We need to build our own country and that can only be done by a healthy nation that is free of drug and substance abuse.
“This is our small part in helping fight the drug abuse scourge in our society. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is always denouncing this and we should join forces as a nation to win this fight”.
Jere, who became the first CAPS United president to lead the Premiership giants to the group stage in the CAF Champions League is the latest sports personality to vie for political office.
He is eyeing the Murehwa West Parliamentary seat in the upcoming harmonised elections on August 23 under the ruling party, ZANU PF party’s ticket.
“I am very happy as someone in mainstream sport. But I also felt that I can contribute immensely for the development of the country through politics.
“There are so many initiatives that I am undertaking to improve the lives of people in Murehwa.
“I am aware of the exact problems facing folks in Murehwa having been raised in the same area”.
Critically, Jere has not abandoned or neglected the game he loves so dearly.
He wants to see more and more rural youngsters graduating into the top clubs including his own CAPS United.
There are at least seven football and netball tournaments across all age groups underway in Murehwa and Goromonzi, which he is bankrolling.
“Modern sport starts from the grassroots. It’s high time we cast our nets wider.
“We need to scout for talent in rural areas and even in farms. Talent is everywhere and in abundance too.
“I should say that I am really surprised with how talented the youngsters here are.
“We are certainly taking some of them to CAPS United for further development”.
His commitment to turn the lives of children has charmed parents and children across Goromonzi and Murehwa.
Liana Gumbo, a widow with three primary school children one of whom is a footballer at St Dominic’s Nora saluted Jere.
“I am pleasantly surprised with what Jere is doing for the community.
“He offset all the fees and debts that I accrued over the past two years for all my three kids and they are now all paid up,” she said.
“He is a true hero who has made sure that we eliminate all worries to do with tuition. On top of that our sport loving children are even getting further support from him”.
Nineteen-year- old Elisha Chiramba, who plays social football has already found reason to pursue the game on a more serious note.
“I finished my Ordinary Level studies some few years ago and I have been staying here ever since.
“I play football but all along I have never taken the game seriously as we know that there is little if any prospects to be seen here,” he said.
“But Jere has renewed our hopes. There are so many scouts who are brought here each time we are playing the game.
“I am one of the guys already identified and I am looking forward to going to Harare and joining a professional team.
“I have been surviving on piece jobs and hopefully my football dream will now be fulfilled,” Chiramba said.
Online Reporter