Football-mad lady changing communities through sport
Providence Moyo
BULAWAYO- Bulawayo lady has debunked the myth that designates football as a preserve for males as she continues to impact lives through the agency of her favourite sport, foootball as well as women rights advocacy.
Buhlebenkosi Ncube is a 29 year old woman from Mangwe District, in Matabeleland South, who is making a difference in Matabeleland communities through sport.
Having been born in 1992 at Mpilo Hospital, Buhlebenkosi relocated to her ancestral district of Mangwe with her family, where she did her primary education before moving back to Bulawayo for her secondary education at Ihlathi High School.
Buhle’s turning point came in June 2020, when she decided to form an organization named Sportsgrind after realizing that she could help bring about positive changes in society through sport.
Through her Sportsgrind organization, Buhle has managed to impact lives of some underprivileged members of society in Bulawayo, Binga as well as her home, Mangwe District.
Buhle uses grassroot tournaments to scout for talent in Matabeleland.In December she hosts what she calls a “Part 2” tournament which she uses to fund her organisation’s operations by selling tickets to people who wish to attend the tournament. The proceeds go to the young footballers.
Currently, she is paying school fees for four female minors in Mangwe and one in Bulawayo. She is also mentoring a young female soccer player that she spotted in Gwanda.
Speaking to this Publication about the young lady under her mentorship, Buhle said she was delighted to see a young woman who is so passionate about sport as she pledged to groom and nurture the prodigious talent to the best of her abilities.
“My aspiration in life is to see someone prosper regardless of the barriers that stand in their way. When I saw this young lady, I was touched by her plight despite her being endowed with so much talent. I concluded that the most vital thing she needed was mentorship and guidance,” she said.
Through Sportsgrind, Buhle has also been involved in scouting talent for professional football teams. Her recent successful scouting happened in Binga where she identified two boys that have since been signed up by a Bulawayo based professional club.
“My passion to change
society for the better through sport recently took me to Binga. It was a successful trip in terms of talent identification because my organization identified two young boys at a soccer tournament. The rest is history as we went on to facilitate their journey as professional footballers with a local Division 1 Club in Bulawayo,” said a proud Buhle.
Ncube’s great affinity for football is well documented but there’s another side to her that is so much inclined to championing the cause for women within the context of a patriarchal society.
Ncube has been advancing women issues vigorously and her activism caught the eye of the Netherlands Embassy that acknowledged her as a human rights champion during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence in 2020.
She has established support groups where she mentors both male and female youths on the multi-faceted challenges they face in communities.
In addition, the philanthropist in Buhle has seen her engage in the fight against period poverty in remote areas of Matabeleland where she has been donating sanitary wear to young women.
“Most young girls in rural areas do not have proper sanitary wear and they therefore opt for alternatives such as use of cow dung which are not safe,” she said.
Buhle aims to take Sportsgrind to dizzy heights by turning it into a household agency of talent identification and nurturing. She works closely with Mthandazo Nyathi, a graphic designer and also partners with a non-governmental organisation called Hope Through Sport.
