The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
OVER 1 000 schoolchildren from five provinces in the country have so far benefited from the Marvelous Nakamba Foundation (MNF), which has paid their tuition as well as exam fees.
United Kingdom-based footballer, Marvelous Nakamba is the foundation’s ambassador while his father Anthony, who lives in Zimbabwe is the chairman of the foundation.
For now, children from Bulawayo, Harare, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands have had their tuition dues as well as exam fees covered by the MNF. In Bulawayo, the beneficiaries were from Njube High School, Helemu and Nkulumane Primary Schools, the schools Nakamba went to in the city. Children at Ingubo in Njube also got assistance. Helemu had the highest number of beneficiaries with 144, followed by Nkulumane with 83 and Nekatambe in Hwange with 82.
Brian Moyo, the MNF board secretary and acting spokesperson said they had paid fees for 1 070 pupils from five provinces, both at primary and secondary schools.
“We have paid fees and/ or exam fees to 1 070 pupils, across five provinces, both primary and secondary schools for the just ended term. The story begins with Njube, Helemu and Nkulumane for obvious reasons,’’ Moyo said.
On how they came up with the list of beneficiaries, Moyo said recipient schools were first identified, with the institutions then coming up with the names of the children who needed assistance.
“Beneficiary schools were identified and from then on the school administration assisted. The schools keep a file of needy and vulnerable scholars. What the foundation requested was a needy, vulnerable learner with academic potential,’’ he said.
The foundation was mooted two years ago and legally registered this year in terms of the laws of Zimbabwe. Beneficiaries have so far been only schoolchildren.
While objectives of the foundation are several, Moyo said the key ones are to create an enabling environment for children, use football to inculcate lifelong skills among the youth, advocate for safe spaces for the youth and provide a platform for talented football youth to turn to, to realise their goals. — @Mdawini_29
