Roots Impact Programme Ends on a High as Zimbabwe’s Young Talent Takes Centre Stage

The BancABC Roots Impact Programme Tournament came to a successful conclusion in Harare on Sunday, bringing down the curtain on a week of competitive junior football, talent identification and youth development that brought together some of Zimbabwe’s most promising young players.

The final day at Prince Edward and Allan Wilson schools provided a fitting end to a tournament that placed U14 and U16 boys and girls from across the country firmly in the spotlight. After days of competition involving all 10 provinces, Manicaland and Bulawayo emerged with the major honours. Manicaland were crowned champions in the U14 Girls and U16 Boys categories, while Bulawayo took the U14 Boys and U16 Girls titles.

But the story of the week stretched well beyond the final standings.

For ZIFA, the tournament represents an important part of the association’s drive to build a stronger and more structured pathway from grassroots football into Zimbabwe’s junior and, ultimately, senior national teams.

ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi, who visited the tournament alongside national team coaches during the week, said the quality and depth of talent on display reinforced the importance of investing in organised youth football.

“What we have seen here gives us every reason to be excited about the future of Zimbabwean football. There is talent across this country. Our responsibility is to find it, give it the right environment and create a clear pathway for these boys and girls to develop and progress into our national teams,” Magwizi said.

The tournament formed part of the wider BancABC Roots Impact Programme, which has taken competitive youth football to the country’s provinces and created regular playing opportunities for boys and girls.

The Harare leg brought the provinces together on one stage, allowing ZIFA’s technical structures and national team coaches to observe players in a competitive environment.

Individual excellence was also recognised at the closing ceremony. Masvingo’s Memory Nyikadzino was named Best Player in the U14 Girls category, while Mashonaland Central’s Tawanda Chizara received the U14 Boys award. Bulawayo’s Vanessa Magodo was recognised as the outstanding U16 Girls player, with Manicaland’s Ngoni Tombo taking the U16 Boys accolade.

The football, however, was only one part of the programme.

Throughout the tournament, participants were exposed to activities aimed at developing them beyond the pitch. BancABC conducted financial literacy sessions covering saving, budgeting, responsible money management, basic banking and building good financial habits. UNFPA also engaged the youngsters on issues around personal safety, wellbeing, rights and access to support.

BancABC Head of Marketing Melanie Gumbo said the success of the tournament reflected the broader purpose behind the bank’s partnership with ZIFA.

“For us, Roots Impact is about creating opportunity. Football gives these young people a platform to express their talent, but we also want them to leave the programme with knowledge, confidence and experiences that can positively shape their lives. Seeing young people from across Zimbabwe come together like this has been extremely encouraging,” Gumbo said.

That combination of football and life skills gave the tournament a wider developmental character, with the young participants leaving Harare with more than results and medals.

Sunday’s closing ceremony and prize-giving at Prince Edward brought together players, coaches, officials and partners to celebrate a tournament which has become an important platform for Zimbabwe’s emerging football talent.

Director of Sport in the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Dr Eugenia Chidhakwa, was guest of honour at the ceremony and hailed the initiative for creating opportunities for young Zimbabweans to participate in structured sport.

“Programmes such as this are important because they give our young people an opportunity to participate, compete and develop in a structured environment. When we invest in sport at this level, we are investing in the future — not only of football, but in the development of disciplined, confident and empowered young Zimbabweans,” Chidhakwa said.

The closing ceremony also recognised the contribution of young match officials involved in the programme. Six U16 referees — Angel Makwanhire, Nicole Mudehwe, Martha Risinamwa, Raune Kalonga, Munenyasi Dumbu and Arnold Maheya — were listed among those recognised.

Their involvement reflected another important element of the Roots Impact concept: developing the wider football ecosystem alongside players. Building the game from the grassroots requires not only footballers, but also referees, coaches, administrators and support structures capable of growing with them.

The conclusion of the Harare tournament therefore represents more than the end of a week of fixtures.

For the players who caught the eye, it could mark the beginning of the next stage of their football journey. For ZIFA’s technical teams, the tournament has provided another opportunity to widen the national scouting pool and identify talent capable of feeding into the country’s age-group structures.

And for the partnership between ZIFA and BancABC, the week demonstrated what sustained investment in grassroots football can achieve when competition, development and opportunity are brought together.

The medals have now been handed out and the final whistle has sounded in Harare, but the real measure of the BancABC Roots Impact Programme will be what happens next.

Somewhere among the hundreds of young players who took to the fields at Prince Edward and Allan Wilson may be Zimbabwe’s next generation of national team stars.

The job now is to keep them playing, keep them developing and make sure the pathway ahead remains open.

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