Meet the Sirens F.C. of Chimanimani in eastern Zimbabwe!
They are the face of MTC Educate A Girl Inc's sports program for girls and young women. Maka Chikowero, founder of MTC, a soccer player herself, suggested soccer as another way of empowering the girls.
Formed in March 2019, The Sirens now comprise three teams; the juniors, high schoolers, and young mothers. The high school team is the flag-bearer of Sirens F.C. This high school team was formed first before junior players and later, young mothers requested to also join the team.
MTC Sirens was intentionally formed to expand safe spaces for girls and young women in rural areas where community-based girls soccer was not the norm. The Sirens practice at the village open space. When soccer coaches at local schools such as Mutambara and Matendeudze heard about the village club, they quickly invited them to play friendly matches.
While schools now have girls soccer teams, The Sirens are the first community-based club in Chimanimani. Besides challenging gender stereotypes in sports, the open space where the girls and young women meet also serves as a community center where career guidance and counselors, law enforcement officers, health and sexual reproduction officers meet and interact with the team.
Through Sirens F.C., a number of girls have been selected to attend bigger sports festivals and career guidance workshops outside of Chimanimani. Two members of the team, Rumbidzai and Tinotenda participated at the 2nd Rozaria Memorial Trust Soccer Tournament in Mrewa in July 2019. Both girls spoke highly of competing at this level. Anna was invited to attend the National Girls symposium in Harare where she got to meet with successful women from a variety of fields including a famous TV personality!
In the immediate future, MTC Educate A Girl Inc would love for all three teams to have soccer kits, have a proper soccer calendar, work with trained soccer coaches, give back to their community, participate at one or two women's soccer tournaments and create career opportunities for the young mothers within the team.
The girls are grateful for the support they continue to receive.
They are the face of MTC Educate A Girl Inc's sports program for girls and young women. Maka Chikowero, founder of MTC, a soccer player herself, suggested soccer as another way of empowering the girls.
Formed in March 2019, The Sirens now comprise three teams; the juniors, high schoolers, and young mothers. The high school team is the flag-bearer of Sirens F.C. This high school team was formed first before junior players and later, young mothers requested to also join the team.
MTC Sirens was intentionally formed to expand safe spaces for girls and young women in rural areas where community-based girls soccer was not the norm. The Sirens practice at the village open space. When soccer coaches at local schools such as Mutambara and Matendeudze heard about the village club, they quickly invited them to play friendly matches.
While schools now have girls soccer teams, The Sirens are the first community-based club in Chimanimani. Besides challenging gender stereotypes in sports, the open space where the girls and young women meet also serves as a community center where career guidance and counselors, law enforcement officers, health and sexual reproduction officers meet and interact with the team.
Through Sirens F.C., a number of girls have been selected to attend bigger sports festivals and career guidance workshops outside of Chimanimani. Two members of the team, Rumbidzai and Tinotenda participated at the 2nd Rozaria Memorial Trust Soccer Tournament in Mrewa in July 2019. Both girls spoke highly of competing at this level. Anna was invited to attend the National Girls symposium in Harare where she got to meet with successful women from a variety of fields including a famous TV personality!
In the immediate future, MTC Educate A Girl Inc would love for all three teams to have soccer kits, have a proper soccer calendar, work with trained soccer coaches, give back to their community, participate at one or two women's soccer tournaments and create career opportunities for the young mothers within the team.
The girls are grateful for the support they continue to receive.
 Passionate Mauya
Passionate Mauya is a 11 year old girl from Gonei village in Chimanimani,Zimbabwe.
Passionate is in seventh grade and an avid learner at Matendeudze primary school. Passionate enjoys playing soccer and her favorite position to play is left-wing. She is talented at dancing, singing and poetry. Passionate is a game changer as she recently participated in CSW event that was hosted by MTC Educate a Girl where she spoke of about climate change and climate justice. |
Tanaka Makondesa is a 17 year old girl from Kwanaka village in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe.
She was and still is a soccer player at school and MTC where she is playing number 4 Tanaka loves to dance, spend time with her friends and sing. Tanaka hopes to become a civil engineer. She was given the nickname "Mahuku" by the team, Tanaka enjoys playing as the teams center back. |
Beverly Makachieyi is a 17 year old girl form Chitimani village in Chimanimani,Zimbabwe.
She is an MTC scholar and doing form 4 at Nhedziwa high School. She is goalkeeper .She enjoys dancing and wishes to be a nurse |
Anna Mutari is a 14 year old girl from Nhedziwa growth point and a soccer player both at school and MTC Sirens,
she is doing form 2, and has passion for soccer and school. She was part of the team that recently won a junior trophy held in October 2021 hosted by MTC in Chimanimani. She is an active member of Nhanga both in the growth point and at school. |
My name is Nyasha Magubhu.I am a girl aged 16 years old,come from Hanzi village,in Chimanimani.l learn at Nhedziwa high school doing form 3.l play soccer at Mtc and at Nhedziwa high school.My position is number 8 as a midfielder.
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Tafadzwa Kashiri is a 12 year old from Muchakagara C village,she is in grade 5, at Matendeudze primary school,.her favourite subject at school is P.E
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Tanaka Ngwari
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Vimbai Chinyama,
15 years |
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Tinotenda Munyisa
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