Girls Take the Field to Tackle Child Marriage and Drugs

By Elishamai A. Ziumbwa

A grassroots initiative is using football to fight child marriage and drug abuse in the country bringing together adolescent girls from across the country in a movement for social justice and empowerment.

Over the weekend, Girls and Goals, in partnership with Rosaria Memorial Trust, hosted a campaign tournament at Madziva Teachers College and Madziva Secondary School.

The event combined competitive football matches with empowerment boot camps and educational sessions.

Blessed Mudhaka, co-founder of Girls and Goals, said sport offers a powerful platform to unite and mobilise young women from diverse cultural backgrounds.

“We use sport to mobilise, educate and inspire. It’s about kicking out child marriages and liberating young women through opportunity,” he told 263Chat.

Scouts from the Zimbabwe Football Association, including the national women’s team coach attended the event offering girls a chance to showcase their skills and potentially represent the country.

Vimbiso Jeka a Girls and Goals facilitator said the tournament is part of their wider effort to promote gender equality through sport, arts and culture.

“We use sport to unite girls and reduce child marriages. Here in Madziva, we have also partnered with Chief Nyamaropa’s ‘Not in My Village’ campaign to fight early marriages,” she said.

The tournament drew teams from Shamva, Chimanimani, Harare and other regions selected for their commitment to community involvement and gender equality.

Roots Africa project officer Tinotenda Matenda noted the strong turnout of male supporters cheering for the girls.

“Usually it’s men supporting men in sports. But this time, men came in their numbers to support girls. It shows that if girls are given a chance and resources they can deliver just as well,” he said.

Matenda added that the boot camps were crucial in bridging the information gap for rural girls offering resources on gender-based violence, rights awareness and access to opportunities.