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Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
THE Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Paul Mavima, says the girl child involved in sport is among the young Zimbabwean woman who is the face of an empowered middle-income society that the Government seeks to attain by 2030.
He said this while addressing players that are attending the Northern Region women’s football School of Excellency training camp at Queen Elizabeth High on Monday afternoon.
Minister Mavima and Minister Sithembiso Nyoni are the co-patrons of the Northern Region. They have been mobilising resources for the region and have managed to bring in a number of corporate companies that are funding the training camp.
A total of 55 girls are in camp, training under the technical team led by CAF instructors Nelson Matongorere and Rosemary Mugadza.
The players will break camp this week.
And on Monday Mavima commended the Under-17 and Under-20 players that are attending the specialised training camp.
“I strongly believe that the future belongs to the young people of Africa and that the young Zimbabwean woman is the face of the empowered upper middle-income society we want by 2030 and indeed the face of Africa we want by 2063. “You, young people are supposed to be at the forefront of driving our national vision and the continental agenda of Africa we want by 2063. These transformational agendas cannot be attained through a “business-as-usual” approach. They require a critical mass of young people with transformed mindsets which are geared towards excellence in different fields, including sports.
“We need young people who will, for example say, “the next World Cup is for Africa; the next major invention in science and technology is coming from Africa’.” This is the mindset which schools of excellence such as this one aim to inculcate in our young men and women,” Mavima said.
Mavima said the concept of the School of Excellency is a good platform to harness young talent.
“I am aware that this school of excellence is aimed at imparting to the participants’ football skills, life skills, and entrepreneurial skills which are meant to contribute to the development of an all-rounder girl-child. A girl-child who is not only a football star but also a respectable member of society whom other young girls and boys can emulate.
“This is very important given that our young people have fallen prey to vices such as drug and substance abuse and pre-mature marriage, among others. This is happening at a time when these young people are expected to be the key drivers of the socio-economic transformation of our country and indeed the entire continent of Africa,” said Mavima.
In addition, the Minister said these periodic camps will go a long way in ensuring that there is an abundant talent for the women’s senior national team, the Mighty Warriors.
“There is no doubt that sport, and football, in particular, play a pivotal role in the well-being of the nation. It is with this in mind that we are going to use football leagues and tournaments as well as these periodic camps to groom the next generation of the Zimbabwe Mighty Warriors from the Under-17 and Under-20 age-groups that were selected from the 11 Northern Region Women football clubs.
“I am happy that the training camp has managed to draw girls’ football players from diverse backgrounds and all the three provinces covered by Northern Region women’s football,” said Mavima. Last month, the Northern Region held a football tournament where they selected a number of players that are in the training camp. Harare City Junior Queens won the tournament after beating Black Rhinos Queens.
More periodic camps are expected to be conducted during the school holidays.
The Northern Region executive, led by chairperson Peter Gonyora, is in an ambitious drive to identify players and hone their skills so they ensure continued supply to the national teams once the international football suspension is lifted.
Online Reporter