Old Mutual, Tag Rugby Trust mark 10 years growing youth sport in Zimbabwe

Old Mutual, Tag Rugby Trust mark 10 years growing youth sport in Zimbabwe

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Old Mutual Zimbabwe and Tag Rugby Trust Zimbabwe say their decade-long partnership has expanded access to tag rugby and strengthened youth development through sport, with activity reaching communities across the country.

According to details released by the partners, the programme now reaches about 18,000 children each year across all provinces, offering structured and inclusive sporting opportunities for learners from both rural and urban areas. The organisations said the project has extended to places including Victoria Falls, Hwange and Plumtree.

They said a key part of the sustainability model has been training teachers and school-based coaches to run sessions independently. Over the past 10 years, about 3,000 teachers and sports coaches from participating schools have been trained, a move meant to strengthen local ownership and keep the programme running beyond initial roll-out support.

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The partners also said the initiative provides a pathway for talented players to progress into school and club rugby, supporting longer-term talent development within the sport.

Old Mutual Zimbabwe’s Marketing, Public Affairs and Sustainability Executive, Lillian Mbayiwa, said the company views the programme as part of its investment in youth development. “At Old Mutual Zimbabwe, we are committed to empowering young people with opportunities that shape their confidence, discipline, and resilience. We believe that by investing in our youth today, we are actively changing tomorrow,” Mbayiwa said.

Tag Rugby Trust Zimbabwe founding director Tinashe Shamu said the initiative has grown from a small start. “We have seen strong growth over the years. When we started the programme, we were working with just five schools in Marondera, and today the initiative has expanded to over 40 schools nationwide, including 24 rural schools and 16 urban schools, ensuring broad and equitable reach,” Shamu said.

Shamu said feedback from school visits prompted the programme to include mixed-ability classes, leading to the expansion to ZIMCARE schools through the I Am Able Through Rugby programme, which operates under Tag Rugby Trust.

He also said the Trust responded to challenges affecting girls’ participation as they moved into secondary school by introducing Female Inspiration Through Rugby (FITR), which focuses on mentoring, life skills and confidence-building through sport, aimed at supporting girls to make better life decisions.

The partners said the 10-year milestone demonstrates how sustained investment in grassroots sport can promote inclusion and life skills for young people.

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