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Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE story of netballer Anifa Luya is a typical rags-to-riches tale and reads like a Tyler Perry movie script.
Barely two years ago, she was a stressed young mother of one, still reeling from the effects of an abusive early marriage that she had just abandoned. She would play social netball on the streets of Mbare as a form of therapy in which she would unwind and temporarily escape her troubles.
Last month, Luya made her national team debut and is with the Gems at the ongoing Celtic Cup in Cardiff, Scotland. With Luya as the Wing Attacker, the Gems got off to a good start to the campaign, overpowering Northern Ireland 54-46 on Thursday.
They fell 45-55 to Scotland the following day, dampening their chances of finishing as one of the top two sides that will go on to clash in the finals of the four-team contest. The winger notes that she never imagined living such a dream.
“At first, I thought the call up was a prank,” said Luya.
“I never imagined myself in the national team one day, let alone boarding a plane to Scotland. I was happy, but not convinced that it was true. You know how sometimes fake news circulates, but when I got the real call from the authorities, I was ecstatic. I am here having the time of my life and learning as much as I can.”
Luya had briefly played netball during her school days at Mbare High School and even then, her gifts and passion radiated.
Ordinarily, the school authorities thought she would join the long list of talent that has come from the institution to make an impact on national teams.
No one ever imagined that at 16, she would become a high school dropout, mother and live with an older husband at his family home in Mbare.
Given her age, Luya found it difficult to balance parenting, being a daughter-in-law and enduring an abusive marriage. For years, she was trapped in a cycle of abuse and unimaginable torture, as, on several occasions, her husband denied her decent food and clothing.
Using the family’s sitting room as her bedroom, her days had to start before sunrise and end late in the night. The abuse would in some cases turn physical, forcing Luya to shed tears as she could not share her story with her widowed mother.
“It is still difficult to talk about it. I wish I had a way to erase that part of my life,” said Luya, now 21.
“We dated for a short time. I was young and barely understood relationships. I got pregnant and eloped. “I was immature and did not know what I had gotten myself into. The abuse was bad; he neglected me and the baby and his parents sometimes had to step in. It was tough.”
As a result of the abuse, Luya lost confidence and on countless occasions contemplated committing suicide.
One day, in 2021, she found the resolve to unwind from the chains of her abusive marriage. A friend who understood her plight introduced her to social netball, where, apart from getting psychological therapy, she would also earn a few dollars for her upkeep and the baby’s.
However, her husband and in-laws would not have it.
Luya often got reprimanded each time she went out to play netball until, one day, she hatched an escape plan and left for good.
She had to go back to her widowed mother, seek forgiveness and ask to be allowed to return home. Noting the visible depression written all over Luya’s face and how much she had lost weight, the mother took her back.
To keep herself busy, Luya continued playing social netball for meagre gains. She got spotted by Nomatter Changata, who, at the time, captained Super League Netball side Harare City.
Changata introduced her to a then-division one side, Stormers Netball Queens.
Stormers was formed by Ruth Masimba during the Covid-19-induced lockdown to rescue young girls wallowing in prostitution, teen pregnancies and early marriages.
Masimba would sell “freezits” to fund her project, which meant no proper remuneration for the players. However, this did not deter Luya. She soon became a vital cog of the Stomers, helping the team earn promotion to the Premier Netball League last season.
Fast forward to this season, Luya was snapped by Rainbow Netball League side Flow Angels.
She is tipped to be the “2024 Player of the Year”, as she leads the chart with 12 “Player of the Match” instances of recognition, while Glow Petroleum’s Predence Sibanda, another favourite, has 10.
Luya said netball helped her recover from the trauma of abusive marriage.
“This has not been an easy road; the community labels you a bad apple, but I chose to focus on the game instead and ignore the negative talk,” she said.
“I am always ready to share my story and inspire other ladies in similar situations. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.”
Online Reporter