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Kept in check by tradition, Zimbabwe’s women cricketers focus on future

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BY NYASHA CHINGONO

Mitchell Chivare, a 20-year-old who used to play for Zimbabwe’s national junior cricket team, takes her kit off the washing line in preparation for her comeback match as a blistering sun beats down on her back yard.

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She lives in Domboshava, a town just north of the capital Harare, and has spent more than a year away from the sport to have children.

A promising medium-pace swing bowler at one point earmarked for her country’s senior team, Chivare has been allowed by her husband to start playing again, but some of her former team-mates have not been so lucky.

“I have many of my friends who were very good at cricket but they have since stopped due to early marriages. Their husbands do not want them to play sports,” she told Reuters.

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Harmony Kurisa, founder and coach at Domboshava’s Harmonics Cricket Academy, where Chivare has learnt the game, tells the same story.

“We have lost many girls to early marriages… some of whom we had groomed for the national team,” he said.

“Most of them …their husbands forbid them from playing. We hope they will come back one day,” he added, saying three players had failed to return to the academy in the past year after becoming pregnant.

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Chivare said she married younger than she expected to, giving birth to her first child 18 months ago and her second two months ago and “I did not have anyone to leave them with when playing cricket.”

Now, with her mother able to look after both, she is free once more to pursue her dream of representing Zimbabwe as a full international.

 “I believe I will come back stronger. I still have the passion and the talent,” she said.

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Early marriages such as Chivare’s are common.

One in three Zimbabwean women aged 20 to 49 was married before the age of 18, according to UN  agency Unicef, and while women are legally free to follow careers, cultural traditions mean many are still expected to play subservient roles within marriage.

But despite such barriers, women’s cricket in Zimbabwe is on the up.

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The country was admitted last year to the 11-strong elite group of playing nations, and the team – including 17-year-old Harmony player Mitchell Mavunga – are currently in training for a T20 World Cup qualifying tournament in the United Arab Emirates in September. –  Reuters

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  1. gratis binance-konto

    July 29, 2024 at 11:54 am

    Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!

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Nkayi

Burial preparations underway for Nkayi well tragedy victims

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The Nkayi community is preparing to lay to rest the Grade 2 pupil and his neighbor who tragically died in a gas-filled well in Ward 19 last week.

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According to Ward 19 Councillor Thubelihle Mabuza Ncube, the young Grade 2 boy is scheduled to be laid to rest today, while the other deceased individual will be buried tomorrow. The community is currently awaiting the arrival of the bodies from the Nkayi regional mortuary. The remains were recently delivered back to the regional mortuary following the completion of postmortem examinations in Bulawayo.

The double fatality occurred when the young student was reportedly lured into a neighbor’s well by an elder to retrieve a bucket in exchange for sweets. The child was quickly overcome by suspected carbon monoxide and a total lack of oxygen. A neighbor who entered the shaft in a desperate rescue attempt also perished after being overwhelmed by the toxic air.

Due to the hazardous conditions within the well, rescuers were unable to enter the shaft and had to use a makeshift wire tool to retrieve the bodies from the surface. Councillor Ncube previously expressed deep distress over the incident, noting that Nkayi is hurting deeply.

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While the community mourns, legal proceedings are also in motion. The councillor has indicated that the accused in the matter has been charged by the police. This update follows a series of tragic events in the Nkayi district, including a recent fatal elephant attack in Ward 13.

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Binga

Poet’s pen turns to philanthropy: Obert Dube’s mission to clothe and educate Zimbabwe’s youth

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

For Obert Dube, a renowned African poet, the stage is no longer just a place for performance; it has become a platform for a massive humanitarian effort aimed at Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable children. Since November, Dube has traversed the rugged terrains of Matabeleland North and South, visiting over 100 schools to provide essential supplies to students who, much like his younger self, are struggling to stay in the classroom.

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Obert Dube

Dube, who describes himself as an “African poet… born and bred in Zimbabwe,” has dedicated his career to what he calls a “mission of mercy.” His work focuses on children who are often forced to drop out due to a lack of school fees or basic stationery. “I’m an African poet… a philanthropist engaged in a special mission,” Dube said in a recent interview. “I help vulnerable children… who sometimes fail due to school fees. Some approach me for help with registering for examinations.”

The poet’s motivation is deeply rooted in his own childhood trauma. Raised by a widowed mother who passed away before his final exams, Dube became a “child parent” at a young age. He recalls the humiliation of attending school in borrowed uniforms and the struggle of trying to learn without the most basic tools. “I remember some raised by elderly grandparents… their parents are passed on,” Dube explained, noting that many guardians cannot afford books. “They will spend the rest of the time at school without writing, and that is what is contributing to low pass rates.”

To fund this initiative, Dube allocates 30 percent of his earnings from every performance to purchase stationery and pay school fees. His reach has expanded to districts including Nkayi, Binga, Lupane, and Hwange. While he started alone, his social media presence has attracted global support, including a Zimbabwean-born UK citizen who recently donated football kits for the schools. “This is a different thing collectively that builds helping our own communities,” Dube said.

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In the community

Elephant kills villager in Nkayi, authorities launch investigation

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

An elephant trampled a villager to death overnight in Mthoniselwa village in Ward 13 of Nkayi district, local authorities said on Sunday, in the latest human-wildlife conflict incident in the area.

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The fatal attack occurred in the early hours of the morning, according to community leaders, who said the victim was attacked near the homestead.

“We have received a report from our Lupane Investigations Office regarding a tragic incident in Mthoniselwa village, Ward 13 of Nkayi, where a villager was trampled by an elephant,” said Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks spokesperson Luckmore Safuli.

“Further details regarding the identity and circumstances surrounding the deceased are still pending. ZimParks personnel are actively conducting assessments in the area to gather more information. Additionally, the Nkayi Rural District Council officers, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, are on site to investigate the incident and conduct community awareness initiatives,” Saffouli added.

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A message circulated in local community groups earlier in the day alerted residents to the incident and urged caution.

“We received a sad report from police this morning of a person who was attacked and killed by an elephant at night in Mthoniselwa, Ward 13. ZimParks has been notified and a ranger is on the way to track the elephant,” the message read.

Community leaders also urged residents to report the presence of dangerous wildlife and to remain vigilant to avoid further tragedies.

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Zimbabwe has in recent years recorded a rise in human-wildlife conflict cases, particularly involving elephants, as animals stray into villages in search of food and water.

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