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 Fungai Muderere, [email protected]

THE Marvelous Nakamba Foundation (MNF) in conjunction with World Vision is set to play host to an Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse Football Tournament that will be held at Lupote Secondary School near Dete.

The contest is going to feature four teams; hosts Lupote, Damba, Nechilibi and Songwa secondary schools based in Hwange District, Matabeleland North.

In an interview, MNF director, Nduduzo Mdlalose-Sibanda, said: “We got an invite from a local organisation to partner with them with regards to a schools soccer tour tournament that is meant to help us fight child abuse among other social ills. So, we will be preaching the gospel against that through football. It’s all about giving back to the society that has nurtured us.

“It’s a four-team tournament and it is going to be a one-day event. There will be no prizes but we will give out tokens of appreciation to outstanding players.”

In 2022, the Foundation hosted an inaugural Under-17 invitational Tournament that was held at Bulawayo’s White City Stadium.

The teams that took part were Highlanders, Dynamos, Hwange Dynamo, Njube Spurs, Ajax Hotspurs, Bulawayo City, Majesa Academy and Chicken Inn.

Mutare-based Majesa Academy emerged winners of the tournament after beating Bulawayo giants Highlanders FC Under-17 side 2-1 in the final.

The winners of the 2022 MNF Under-17 invitational tournament walked away with a floating trophy and certificates for each player, the runners-up Highlanders were also conferred with certificates for each player.

Nakamba, through the MNF Trust, is also planning to build a sports centre in Mahatshula suburb in Bulawayo.

The former Aston Villa midfielder was offered land measuring 5,1594 hectares for the construction of a state-of-the-art sports centre by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC).

Nakamba, through his charity foundation, has vowed to continue changing lives of many disadvantaged children and youths in Zimbabwe.

He aims at giving back to the community through sport and education.

Established in 2019, the charity already pays school fees for not less than 1 500 children dotted across five provinces in Zimbabwe. —@FungaiMuderere