She gambled on Dakar

Ellina Mhlanga

Zimpapers Sports Reporter

IN 2019, Zimbabwean events specialist Farai Chigwedere left a secure job in Australia for a one-year sports event contract because she believed it would move her closer to working at Africa’s first Olympic event.

Seven years later, she is helping to prepare the opening ceremony of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.

Chigwedere is the event general manager at Stade Abdoulaye Wade, the 50 000-seat stadium that will host the ceremony.

Her responsibilities now include coordinating more than 25 functional areas ahead of the opening ceremony.

“My role has changed and I manage the overall coordination of the opening ceremony to ensure integrated planning across 25-plus functional areas and venue readiness,” she said.

Her work covers security, transport, logistics, crowd movement and event operations.

“Our job is to prepare so thoroughly that, when the moment arrives, the audience experiences the magic while never seeing the months and years of planning behind it,” she said.

For Chigwedere, that moment will mark the fulfilment of an ambition that began with a difficult career decision.

Before moving into sport, she was managing major events in Australia, some attended by as many as 100 000 people. Several won national awards under her leadership.

But sport and entertainment were where she wanted to be.

“I wanted to pivot into sports and entertainment, where my passion lies,” Chigwedere said.

Leaving a secure position for a one-year contract was a risk, but she believed it was the move she needed to make.

The road to Dakar took her through the T20 Cricket World Cup in Australia, Expo 2020 in Dubai and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in Rwanda and Senegal.

“They gave me the global and major event experience I needed to understand this world and the additional skills I needed to be successful and excel in the industry,” she said.

The journey took longer than she had expected.

The Dakar Youth Olympic Games were initially scheduled for 2022, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced their postponement by four years.

Chigwedere continued working across major international events, building the experience that would eventually take her to Senegal.

Her involvement with the Basketball Africa League opened the door.

One of the league’s venues in Senegal had also been selected for the Youth Olympic Games, allowing her to connect with members of the organising committee.

“The BAL’s venue in Senegal is also one of the venues for the Olympic event, so I was able to connect with the organising committee,” Chigwedere said.

“Although I am not fluent in French, upon my first meeting with them, they were confident that my skillset and expertise were needed within the organisation, especially as the committee valued a Pan-African team.”

When interviewed for the role, she made her motivation clear.

“I informed them that the first Olympic event was happening in Africa and I wanted to be part of the team,” she said.

“This was my motivation for taking on the contract role.”

Chigwedere’s love for events began long before the World Cups, expos and international appointments.

She grew up in a family that enjoyed bringing people together and began organising family gatherings at a young age.

“I am a very proud Zimbabwean with a passion for the entertainment and sports events space,” she said.

“My interest started at a young age. I come from a hospitable family, so I started planning our family events, and it became a natural progression for me to study and eventually work in events.”

Her career has since taken her across countries and cultures, often keeping her away from home for long periods.

“Working on events of this magnitude demands commitment,” Chigwedere said.

“There have been long periods away from family, missed birthdays, holidays and special occasions.

“Professionally, it has meant constantly stepping outside my comfort zone, taking on new challenges and moving across countries and cultures.

“Those sacrifices aren’t always easy, but they have been worthwhile because they have allowed me to contribute to moments that inspire millions of people.”

Her sister, Shingai, has watched her pursue that ambition since their school days.

“Farai has known since high school that she wanted to work in events,” Shingai said.

“More recently, she focused on sporting events, with her dream being to one day work at an Olympic event.

“I am amazed at how she navigated the sacrifices she had to make along the way.

“Being in Australia, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Rwanda and Senegal is far away from family, and at times she had to miss family engagements because of the distance.

“She is a great ambassador for Zimbabwe and the African continent.”

The Games will also be the first Youth Olympic Games held under International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry, adding another Zimbabwean connection to the event.

Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive Marlene Gadzirayi said Chigwedere’s appointment reflected the confidence placed in Zimbabwean expertise.

“Having a Zimbabwean at such a level demonstrates that our country is not only participating, but also helping to deliver a landmark Olympic event,” Gadzirayi said.

Chigwedere hopes her journey will encourage young Zimbabweans to look beyond competing when considering careers in sport.

“You do not need to be an athlete to work in sports,” she said.

“The opportunities are endless and rewarding. There are different avenues available which may take you to different parts of the world.”

When the lights finally come on at Stade Abdoulaye Wade and Africa welcomes the world, Chigwedere will be thinking about the decision she made seven years earlier.

“It will be an emotional moment,” she said. “To see Africa host an Olympic event for the first time is something that generations have dreamed about.

“I will be thinking about everyone who has contributed to making it possible, from the organisers and volunteers to the performers and young athletes.

“I hope the ceremony celebrates not only Senegal, but the entire continent, showing the world Africa’s creativity, energy and ability to deliver an event of the highest standard.

“It will be a proud moment knowing that I contributed to this and its legacy.”