Zimbabwe: Sithole, World Taekwondo Believed in Maritsa

THE story of Natsiraishe Maritsa cannot be complete without mentioning the World Taekwondo and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee honorary life president, Tommy Sithole, who both believed in the teenager and her initiative.

Maritsa recently made the headlines after winning the 2021 International Olympic Committee Women and Sport Award for Africa.

She is one of six gender equality advocates who were honoured by the IOC with the 2021 Women and Sport Awards. World Taekwondo nominated Maritsa for the IOC honour and their president, Chungwon Choue, wrote to Sithole for his endorsement for the candidature last year in March. In his letter to endorse Maritsa, sent to the IOC Women and Sport Commission Chair, Lydia Nsekera, last year, Sithole acknowledged the young taekwondo enthusiast's efforts and determination to make a difference in her community.

"I have had the pleasure of following the rise of the candidate (Maritsa) in the game of empowering her fellow women using sport as a tool for empowering women and girls and educating and imbuing in them a can-do spirit in a dirt-poor area that offers too little hope for their future.

"Indeed, taekwondo in her area of residence, had not until her rise, been a household name in a society dominated by male sport such as football and male chauvinism. Indeed, taekwondo requires no luxury of massive spaces for players and spectators.

"In these confined unplanned settlements which otherwise women would be intimidated just by navigating the narrow paths they dare call roads, Natsiraishe has found her calling, appropriately through a sport which is rooted in a history of placing itself at the service of humankind in the true spirit of the Olympic Ideal.

"It would be an over-kill to describe the sheer respect that participants to her programme and spectators accord this young person who has dared address matters taboo in society -- child marriage in particular -- through what would have been an unorthodox sport which they now accepted as the very basis and important ingredient of this project without which it would not be.

"There could not have been a better place in Zimbabwe than the sprawling unplanned suburb of Epworth just outside Harare to introduce this programme. But it needed a forceful person with a mission, a strong-minded and determined home product brave enough to take a stand against a cultural taboo.

"Natsiraishe (Do good for God) is doing great for her God, her community and country, the sport of taekwondo and the Olympic Movement," read part of the letter sent by Sithole to the IOC Women and Sport Commission chair, Nsekera, last year.

Sithole wrote to Nsekera after World Taekwondo president, Choue, engaged him, seeking endorsement of Maritsa's candidature.

"I am sure you are very familiar with Natsiraishe's mission through taekwondo, which has captivated the hearts and minds of the global taekwondo family.

"We were privileged to engage with Natsiraishe at the 2nd World Taekwondo Gender Equity and Women Leadership Forum early this month, during which she inspired us with her humility and maturity beyond her age. At the forum, we committed to helping her and are now working with the Zimbabwe Taekwondo Association to provide the necessary support, especially in terms of taekwondo equipment.

"We believe that Natsiraishe deserves IOC, and global recognition for her embodiment of the Olympic values that we preach about," wrote Choue early last year.

Delivered every year at continental and world level, the IOC Women and Sport Awards recognise exceptional men, women and organisations for their work in advancing gender equality on and off the field of play.

Introduced in 2000, the IOC Women and Sport Awards celebrate remarkable role models and change-makers in advancing gender equality and inclusion. Each year six trophies are awarded, one for each of the five continents and one at world level, in support of outstanding contributions to women's and girls' participation in sport.

In 20 years of the Awards, there have been 116 recipients from 65 different nations.

The winners' work to promote gender equality through different projects is also supported with a grant to help them continue and extend their work. Maritsa founded the Vulnerable Underaged People's Auditorium, under which she uses taekwondo to fight child marriages and pregnancy.

The 18-year-old said the award has motivated her to keep going, knowing that she is not alone in changing the lives of many girls and young mothers.

"I wasn't expecting this kind of award, like a continental award because it's a very great achievement being recognised internationally and in the whole world. So I wasn't really expecting it but then it happened, I won the award and I am very thankful.

"This award really motivated me to keep going. It gave me that strength to keep pushing, to keep fighting for change because it's an inspiration. It's something that let me know that I am not alone in this world. There are a lot of people who are supporting me, who are recognising what I am doing so it's an inspiration to everything I am doing," said Maritsa.

This article originally appeared on The Herald

Photo: The Herald