Mwaruwari fights drug abuse through football

By The Standard and Newsday | Dec. 20, 2021 | 2 Min read

Mwaruwari said he was also creating “... a conducive environment where youngsters can reach their full potential”.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

FORMER Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari last Friday launched the Benjani Mwaruwari Community Youth League with sponsorship to the tune of US$50 000, whose aim is fighting against drug, substance and alcohol abuse in youth in Bulawayo.

The league will be sponsored by an Australian-based organisation Adachi and an official from the group confirmed the US$50 000 sponsorship package.

His team, Magwegwe City Football Academy, became the first team to be registered in the league.

Mwaruwari said he was also creating “… a conducive environment where youngsters can reach their full potential”.

“I remember my youthful days, playing in the streets of Magwegwe that changed my life. The Benjani Community Youth League is designed to prepare our young footballers for the highest level of football,” he said.

“Furthermore, away from the field of play, we are empowering passionate football followers and communities with coaching, development skills and knowledge.

“Within the emphasis that great footballers are the outcome of proper football administration. Through this initiative, we will develop the best football administrators of the highest integrity.”

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Mwaruwari added: “These are the building blocks of moral regeneration. We are fighting against an escalation in drug addiction, alcohol abuse and crime. The youth league will leverage into our established international network, exchange programmes, football tours and scouts.”

Sports deputy minister Tino Machakaire, who was represented at the launch by chief director in the ministry Benson Dube, hailed Mwaruwari for coming up with the project.

“I am here on behalf of my deputy minister Tino Machakaire. As the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Recreation, one of our most important roles is to develop community sport and recreation systems all over the country and we are moving around trying to establish these sport and recreation clubs,” Machakaire said.

“If we meet any of the athletes who is coming up with a community club, we applaud that person and as a ministry, we wish to reiterate that we are, indeed, going to assist in many ways in the full establishment of the Benjani Mwaruwari Community Youth League.”

He urged the Bulawayo City Council to support the former Manchester City and Portsmouth striker by refurbishing sporting facilities in the City of Kings and Queens.

“In that vein, we also appeal to the city fathers to resuscitate and refurbish all the sporting facilities in Bulawayo. We see our facilities are getting dilapidated. Some of the facilities are being changed from their roles as sporting facilities. These are the facilities that assist the nation at large to arrest the loitering of youths,” Machakaire said.

“What Benjani has done is going to save a lot of lives. Instead of the youth going to be involved in drug abuse, they are now going to be engaged. We urge the city fathers to support the initiative.”

A number of coaches, former players and football administrators from around the country attended the launch.