A Big Family Inc. headed by Zimbabwean Farirai Berejena is providing logistical and financial support to a group of individuals led by Victor Tarirai. The group held its inaugural soccer tournament in December, bringing together six secondary schools from Zaka district in Masvingo province.
“When the idea of the tournament developed, it was clear in our minds what soccer can do to improve people’s livelihoods. Soccer is a unifier. It keeps the youths out of mischief and brings relief to entertainment-starved rural communities.
“But, for us, the vision goes beyond that. Soccer has the potential to dramatically boost the welfare of communities and push up household income levels,”Tarirai told The Zimbabwean.
The group engaged Ministry of Education, Art, Sport and Culture officials in the district and school heads who gave them the go-ahead to hold the tournament. A Big Family chipped in with uniforms and 24 boots. The tournament attracted close to 1,000 people. Winners were given stationery, cellular phones and school bags.
For 2013, the organisers of the tournament have set their sights higher, and 42 schools from the province, characterised by perennial food shortages due to drought, are billed to participate.
“After this year’s tournament, we will replicate the initiative in other parts of the country, particularly where communities suffer high vulnerability through hunger and poverty,” said Tarirai.
The group is inviting experts such as doctors, nurses and businesspeople with origins in Zaka and Masvingo to grace the 2013 tournament, scheduled for September, “as a way of building buy-in from them to come and invest their expertise and money in their area of birth”.
“In addition, we are seeking donations to start livelihood projects such as gardening and livestock farming to be implemented by the schools to fund further tournaments when they sell what they would have produced. In addition, the projects will improve local nutrition and help the schools buy stationery and other necessities,” said Tarirai.
The initiative is also focusing on computer literacy among targeted beneficiaries, and donated six computers to each of the schools that competed during the first tournament, while A Big Family is sourcing more uniforms and boots.
Post published in: News
This is a very good initiative. Guys, keep on with the good work. I come from Zaka and went to St Antony’s and would like to participate in one way or another. Please get in contact with me on f_mapfumo@yahoo.co.uk.
I am working around a similar idea for Bikita. Editor, may you please give me the organisers’ contact details?
Hi guys, thank you for your comments we really appreciate it. I am part of A Bigfamily Trust Zimbambwe and we are really working towards making this huge together with our our mother a Bigfamily inc. based in the USA, just give us your contacts and we can see how best we can work together. We are not looking at Zaka only, we hope to extend our wings nationwide. If you have any ideas please feel free to contact me on noreenmabhiza@yahoo.com
Sam , I am part of the organising team, my eail add is vtarirai@yahoo.com
Well done Mr Berejena, Noreen, Victor and other guys behind this unifying initiative! I am in!
This is a good initiative. I hope it keeps expanding to other parts
Well done guys. Keep up the good work
What a noble idea, Keep it up Victor
Sustainable development at its best
This is a brilliant idea. I would like to appreciate the effort. You can also try to target more schools in the next tournament and also use it for awareness campaigns for HIV and AIDS, Cancer among other life threatening diseases targeting the youth. Where you can talk of the likes of kicking out AIDS, Cancer through sport i tell you this can go big and communities would really appreciate the program. Charity Begins at home and one more time allow me to say thank you guys make the Big Family big.
Auds, thats what is in our minds for this year. Thank you lots