Zim ready for Homeless WC

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
Team Zimbabwe general manager for the 2016 Homeless World Cup soccer tournament, Tendai “T-Buns” Zhakata, says they remain hopeful of securing sponsorship for their trip to Glasgow, Scotland, for the event in July.

The Homeless World Cup is an annual football tournament organised by the Homeless World Cup organisation, a social body which advocates the end of homelessness through the power of sport.

The tournament gives players an opportunity to be ambassadors of their countries as well as role models in their communities. It fosters the leadership skills of players and inspires them to further promote civic engagement, gender equality and social inclusion.

Zimbabwe were invited to this annual event after making an impression during last year’s competition which was held in the Netherlands.

They came 15th out of 48 countries that took part.

And Team Zimbabwe will be making their fifth appearance at this year’s tournament to be staged in Glasgow from July 10 to 16 and their general manager Zhakata said they have moved a gear up in their fund-raising activities for this event where he is confident that they will once again make their presence felt.

“At the moment things are difficult (economic-wise in this country) but we have managed to talk to some guys in our fund-raising drive and it’s promising.

“Some other guys and companies we have approached are promising to cater for the air tickets but I cannot divulge their names now. But we are definitely going to Scotland.

“Of course, there are negotiations going on and there is hope but we are still appealing to the corporate world to come on board,” said Zhakata.

Zhakata said they need $30 000 for all their travelling expenses since the organisers of the tournament are meeting the other costs in terms of accommodation and food.

“We are taking 13 people including the players, coach and team manager because it’s a four-a-side competition. We need their airfares, allowances and kits because accommodation and food is being provided by the organisers.

“We need to apply for our visas as soon as possible. We need them to be ready by the end of this month. And for the airfares, we expect everything to be in place by mid-May.

“This is the fifth time we are going to compete in the Homeless World Cup. Last time it was held in the Netherlands. The tournament is for the under-priviledged people and we have players from the age of 16 to 23. Most of them are in their 20s,” Zhakata said.

Zhakata said they are expecting to leave for the UK at the end of June since they will first go for a training camp in Liverpool, England.

“The city of Liverpool has got a football club for the homeless people and they have invited us for a one-week training camp ahead of this year’s Homeless World Cup, courtesy of former Zimbabwean footballer Chamu Musanhu who is now based in Liverpool. He is the one who linked us with them for the training camp. Then from there we go to Scotland for the World Cup,” Zhakata said.

Meanwhile, the Liverpool Homeless Football Club have already drawn up a training programme for Team Zimbabwe during their proposed one-week training camp in the famous English city ahead of this year’s Homeless World Cup.

Steve Barton, a member of the Liverpool Homeless Football Club, recently said from the UK that they are also looking at getting “a small programme together” for the week that Team Zimbabwe will be in Liverpool at the beginning of July.

“We have already got a tour of the city for your team by a tour guide, a pool tournament evening organised, and we are planning a small tournament for the Wednesday 6th of July with eight teams in. We are awaiting back on a few other activities,” Barton said in a letter sent to Petros Chatiza, the co-ordinator of Team Zimbabwe for the Homeless World Cup.

“ . . . So all we are waiting for is to confirm dates you are coming and then we can put together dates and times to coincide with your training schedule,” Barton added.

The other African countries that are expected to take part in this year’s Homeless World Cup are Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Cote d’lvoire, Uganda and Cameroon.