Mobile network operator NetOne in partnership with Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Chapungu Football Club held the second edition of their anti-drug campaign aimed at encouraging aspiring high school future footballers to desist from drug abuse.
By Delicious Mathuthu and Evidence Chipadza
Speaking during a tour of Chaplin High School in Gweru, Netone Head of Public Relations Dr Eldrette Shereni said the main aim of the campaign was to inspire the youth to refrain from drug abuse which is on the rise.
“In terms of our corporate social responsibility, we thought of giving back to the young talent, the future footballers of tomorrow, so this program is to motivate and give these kids inspiration in terms of who they want to be in future,” Dr Shereni said.
NetOne is currently sponsoring a number of Premier Soccer League teams which include Highlanders, Dynamos, Chapungu FC, Caps United and Black Rhinos with tours currently being held under the hashtag #ImpactingLives in an attempt to give a positive direction to the upcoming youths.
Dr Shereni said NetOne asked the teams to submit a list of names where their players learnt so as to tour the schools to inspire the pupils who want to take football as a career.
With the visit to Chaplin, the tour entourage was visiting Chapungu FC goalie Talbert Shumba’s former school.
“This is the starting point as NetOne, we asked the teams to submit the list of the schools where the players learnt, so we said let us take these players to their former schools and in Talbert Shumba’s case he is now a professional footballer and Chaplin is the very school he attended.
“Not everyone is talented academically so these tours we are doing are meant to push more pupils who like football,” she said.
Talbert Shumba, who was part of the tour, reiterated that pupils must not be destructed by drugs if they want to achieve their goals.
“You might think you are the same because of the uniform you are putting on but at the end of the day you will have different careers, when you want to reach a certain goal stay disciplined and focused.
“I am also a product of Chaplin High and it feels good coming back again to tell you my testimony,” Shumba said.
Shumba however lamented that Zimbabwe is not doing enough to support professional football.
“As a country we are not doing enough to support professional football rather much attention is mainly given to other professions, but I would like to thank NetOne for the sponsorship it has availed for Zimbabwe teams,” Shumba said.
The tour is not the first tour in the City of Progress following another earlier in September where NetOne and Chapungu visited Mkoba 3 High School in Mkoba, Maxwell Mavuto and Hammond Muchangami’s former school.
The schools mentoring programme is meant to reach out to schools to encourage aspiring players to take up the sport and stay away from substance abuse.
