What a guy, that was my initial thought when I met Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira for the first time the other night.
For a tiny few seconds, I will not lie, I felt intimidated by his broad shoulders and tall stature.
I have seen him in action on the field and on television, but nothing really prepares a skinny journalist like me to stand face to face with one of South Africa’s most legendary Springbok rugby players, the most-capped prop in South African history and the third-most capped Springbok of all time, behind Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana, I might add.
Then we got to chatting, and I could see why this man has captivated audiences around Africa and the world, and why he was named in the Forbes Africa 2021 list of 100 most influential Africans.
Roots and childhood
He was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and was awarded a scholarship to attend Peterhouse Boys School at the age of 15. He travelled from Zimbabwe to South Africa as an 18-year-old fresh out of school with the dream of changing his life around.
Unicef collaboration
The Beast has been appointed by Unicef as a regional ambassador for eastern and southern Africa.
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“I am so honoured to take on this new role,” said Mtawarira.
“I believe education is the great equaliser and every child on this continent should be able to access quality learning and fulfil their potential,” he said.
As a Unicef regional ambassador, Mtawarira will use his voice to bring much-needed attention to Unicef’s humanitarian and development priorities in the eastern and southern Africa region.
The Beast Foundation
The Beast Foundation wants to support children from underprivileged backgrounds by teaching and coaching them, and providing them with the education and other skills they need to succeed.
This will be achieved by The Beast Foundation Annual Bootcamps for both rugby and basketball.
Loyalty, leadership, teamwork, dedication and perseverance are all skills learned on the sports field that can help a child become a functional adult.
Thus, The Beast Foundation seeks to give children access to educational platforms, aiding them in their growth and development.
One of the primary obstacles to youth progressing is having the financial resources to continue with a higher education.
The Beast Foundation, through partnering with higher education institutions and corporations, provides educational scholarships, links beneficiaries to bursary opportunities and facilitates exchange programmes with international institutions.
Mtawarira is particularly passionate about improving educational opportunities for the most vulnerable children.
Cover guy
On July 15, 2022 men’s lifestyle magazine, GQ South Africa hosted the July cover celebration party at the Mount Nelson, a Belmond hotel in Cape Town.
The event featured former rugby player and AEG South Africa brand ambassador Mtawarira on the cover.
He tells the world how he turned in his green and gold uniform for business suits and boardrooms, and why his foundation is his ultimate passion project, all while telling the world the legacy that he wants to leave behind off the field.
Roc Nation
“His journey to the top as one of the all-time rugby greats was buoyed by his fierce determination and hunger to achieve success”, writes Roc Nation, an entertainment agency founded by billionaire rapper Jay Z, who announced the signing of the former Springbok prop Mtawarira in 2021.
Mtawarira joins a strong list of high-profile advocates who champion children’s rights on behalf of the world’s leading children’s organisation, including Unicef goodwill ambassadors David Beckham, Priyanka Chopra, Angelique Kidjo and Shakira, among others. — IOL
