dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo recently in NYAZURA
NYAMIDZI Secondary School has over the past years seen a number of girls dropping out due to unwanted pregnancies.
In some instances, so frequently so, they have been withdrawn from school by their parents or guardians who cite difficulties in paying tuition.
Here, girls are regarded as second class and it’s not even sinister to see a significant number being married or married off well before the legal age of 18. Geography has not helped their case either. The general area of Chitenderano, Nyazura South, where the school is located is virtually inaccessible.
The close to 22km stretch of the rugged and rubbled gravel road linking the area with the tarred road at Mutungagore makes driving a tedious if not hellish undertaking.
The incessant torrential rains have worsened the already bad state of the road. But stakeholders still have to tread it because there is some rare revolution taking place at this learning institution.
The girls football side Red Buffaloes is preparing for life in the Women’s Premier Soccer League after punching their ticket last year.
The excitement is palpable and their passion is fuelled by fire.
Smiling faces all over the place greet this news crew upon arrival.
The school kids, all under the age of 18, are going through their paces at the institution’s grounds where they didn’t lose a single game in the first division last year.
But they do not resemble a proper team preparing for life in the elite league. A good number of the players are barefoot and training in school uniform. Yes, school uniform.
Only two footballs are available.
There are six cones, improperly arranged for either a small-sided game or any drill, depicting a glaring deficient on proper training on the part of the coaches.
Members of the community, young and old as well as a huge chunk of the 515 pupils from the school, are gathering around the pitch, occasionally cheering good moves or skills displayed infield.
They are hoping for the best and actually deserve the best in the year 2025.
They are the ones who literally finance the team. They drive the orchestra that has contributed to the sharp reduction of early marriages at Nyamidzi and has had a domino effect on surrounding schools like Dumba and Rukweza.
School head Elina Kaluwa, who rubber-stamped the formation of the team in 2023 upon proposal by two of her teachers and who co-coaches the girls with Pius Kasu and Kudzai Maibvise, said the team has helped stitch the community together and given a whole new perspective about how girls are seen across the area.
“We have witnessed so many girls dropping out of school due to unwanted pregnances.
“We have also seen many girls just withdrawing from school due to a lack of parental and community support.
“But the football initiative has been the game-changer,” said Kaluwa.
“The championship promotion has brought a whole lot of positive vibes.
“My motivation comes from seeing the girls doing wonders on the field of play. I am really excited. The enviroment is very harsh but we still excelled.
“My wish is to see them excelling in the game and possibly represent the country. More and more parents are supporting girls to be in school and possibly join the team.
“The positive breeze is sweeping across other surrounding areas and it is very encouraging.”
The not-so-ideal environment, including some bare lack of club licencing compliance, is a source of inspiration rather than discouragement for members of the team.
Executive member Naboth Masiyambiri (72), who claims to have been a good footballer but lacked exposure in his heyday, said the executive have been financing the team from their rather lean pockets when they were still in the first division until other members of the community started to chip in. “We worked very hard to be where we are today.
“We were using our own resources as the executive and at some point we were having quarrels with our families over that. But after seeing our success, everyone started to chip in.
“The community and parents worked very hard to ensure that we moved from point A to B fulfilling fixtures last year,” said Masiyambiri.
“But now is a different level. Affiliation alone is US$2 000 and we can’t afford it. We can only hope for the best. But we are happy to have made it into the PSL.”
Even the coaches do not have requisite qualifications but their desire drives them on.
The team is facing the prospect of hosting their home games far away from their stadium where their support is. That is if they tick the other club licencing boxes.
“We joined the Eastern Region Division One in 2023 and finished in fourth position.
“As a coach, I don’t have any other qualification save for a grassroots certificate,” said Kasu.
“Our aim is to have home games played at our stadium. The venue, as it stands, doesn’t qualify to host Premiership matches. We need toilets, changing rooms and a perimeter fence.
“But we don’t have anywhere to start due to a lack of financial resources.
“The access road is another issue raised by ZIFA inspectors when they visited us. They said we need to pave it to allow easy access for the visiting teams. The players were using sandak (plastic) boots while others played barefoot when we were still in the first division.
“Where we are now heading is a bigger level but we still have players using sandak and others play barefoot.”
One of the youngest players in the team, Privilege Majoni, is just 14 yet she has played every game in the past two years and is expected to be a big part of the side in the league this year.
“I am very happy to be part of this team. I started playing for the team when I was 12 and in Grade 6,” said Majoni. “The major problem we faced especially last season was financial. Some parents couldn’t afford the US$3 contribution for each player the team needed per week for travelling and subsistence.
“I am grateful to have been afforded the chance to be part of this team. I can’t wait to play in the Premiership.”
For captain Kelly Mukunga (17), seeing her ex-teammate and friend Monica Makawonesu earning a football scholarship spurs her on.
“It was a good ride last year. The competition was stiff yet we had some of our players playing without boots. We are preparing for the season and can’t wait for it to start.
“Football has a future and for me seeing Monica Makawonesu going places inspires me a lot.
“She was first bought from the team by Mutare City and she is now at FC Platinum Royals,” said Mukunga.
“We are looking forward to the season.”
Parents and guardians are equally over the moon.
Philis Mafara, mother to utility star Henleta Matsikidze, said Red Buffaloes have brought opportunities to the area which she never saw before.
“I am very happy to see my daughter getting the platform to showcase herself. They will now be playing in the super league and who knows, this could be their chance to be recognised and get even better opportunities,” she said. “Despite all the challenges facing the team, I do believe there are opportunities that come with their promotion into the league.
“We will get to see our girls playing against the best players from big teams like Herentals, Black Rhinos, Correctional, Chapungu and others.
“I do believe there will be a lot of economic activities that come with the team playing in the Premiership.”
The team’s challenges, however, go beyond the mere lack of soccer boots amongst the players.
Said Maibvise: “As we speak, we might fail to pay affiliation fees, yet alone manage to prepare our home ground to meet expectations.
“We are appealing for sponsorship. For us to be allowed to play as per club licencing requirements, we need to have US$10 000 in our account. We don’t have anything at the moment. Our team is exclusively composed of school girls. Our aim is to empower the girl child through football.”
Online Reporter