Tendai Mtawarira’s The Beast Foundation launches L...

Tendai Mtawarira’s The Beast Foundation launches Lead Like a Girl

Zim Now Writer

Zimbabwean-born rugby star, Tendai Mtawarira through his organisation, The Beast Foundation, has launched a female-focused programme called Lead Like a Girl.

The Beast Foundation, in collaboration with Elyseum Family Office, is spearheading the programme designed at empowering young women from disadvantaged backgrounds in South Africa and Zimbabwe through providing them with opportunities to realise their full potential.

The initiative is directed towards creating a hopeful future by fostering leaderships skills and generating opportunities for success among younger women in marginalised communities.

Structured around five core pillars, Lead Like a Girl encompasses crucial aspects such as schooling support (including tuition, boarding fees, textbooks, and learning materials), annual leadership camps, inter-African country visits, ongoing mentorship, and a dedicated alumni community.

Recognising the disparities in educational resources, The Beast Foundation chairman, Mtawarira said Lead Like a Girl offers a well-rounded environment with expert mentorship and leadership development for young women

“Lead Like a Girl represents a collective effort to uplift young women and foster positive change in underserved communities across Africa. Through mentorship, scholarships, the influence of inspiring female patrons, and the establishment of a robust alumni network, our goal with Lead Like a Girl is clear: to provide unwavering support, comprehensive training, and quality education to young girls. We aim to nurture them into formidable future leaders, in turn, empowering them to guide the next generation of young girls as they forge their own unique paths.

“With Lead Like a Girl, we’re not just envisioning a brighter future; we’re actively shaping it. Together, with the support of our partners and the dedication of our team, we’re laying the foundation for a generation of empowered and resilient young women who will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the world.

“Lead Like a Girl aims to address these challenges by providing opportunities for girls to pursue education, thus contributing to breaking the cycle of poverty and reducing vulnerabilities to issues like child marriages and domestic violence,” Mtawarira said.

Mtawarira highlighted that Lead Like a Girl aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 4, Quality Education, and 5, Gender Equality. Moreover, the UN Women Annual Report highlights the urgent need for accelerated progress, indicating that achieving gender equality could take up to 300 years without the allocation of increased resources.

Partnering with development organisations like The Amathuba Foundation, The Imbeleko Foundation, Mondi South Africa, and Higherlife Foundation Zimbabwe, the first cohort of 15 learners from KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in South Africa, as well as Harare and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, was carefully selected based on academic, sporting, and cultural achievements, as well as financial need.

The Beast Foundation was founded in March 2021, dedicated to transforming communities through sports, education, and effective mentorship.