A NOVEL initiative dubbed the CEO Eat-Out Movement has assumed responsibility of fundraising for the Zimbabwe team to participate at the Homeless World Cup set for Mexico in November.
By Munyaradzi Madzokere
Zimbabwe has made six appearances at the Homeless World Cup since the football tournament began in 2003 in Austria with the best performance of 15th place out of 48 countries coming in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 2015.
The CEO Eat-Out movement is a welcome development for the Homeless World Cup partners in Zimbabwe, Youth Achievement for Sports Development (YASD), who have been struggling to raise funds for the team to travel.
Led by Henry Chigama, the CEO Eat-Out Movement has actually organised an event for corporate chiefs to dine and mingle with the homeless as a way to fundraise for the Homeless World Cup squad.
“This year the pillars we will focus on are education and sports so we are going to try and assist in fundraising for participation at the Homeless World cup, where Zimbabwe is taking part in Mexico this year. For us it’s not about giving them the experience of going to Mexico, but what happens to them when they come back,” CEO Eat-Out movement founder Chigama told The Sports Hub.
“Our thrust is on sustainability looking at what happens to them when they come back. Do they get a job? do they get trained into sport coaching, umpiring or any career they can follow than to go back to their ordinary lives? So we are looking into that aspect where we want to change their lives for good,” he added.
YASD is looking to raise $45 000 in order to send a team to the November 13–18 event.
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Chigama said the movement would be looking to provide tickets, food, accommodation as well as clothes for the team.
“We need to get them to go and play. We are looking to pay for their tickets, food and also get them decent clothing, which is very important so that they look good since they are representing our country,” he said.
The idea behind the CEO Eat-Out is to bring corporate leaders together so that their opinion of the homeless people as well as the underprivileged can change interaction.
The CEO Eat-Out event will be held on September 21 at Hellenic Sports Club.
According to Chigama, at least 80 companies have shown interest in taking part in the initiative with the figures set to balloon as the day draws nearer.
“So far we have almost 80 companies that have shown interest in this event and many have even offered a different kind of specialist services on the day. But, basically the CEOs will serve food to the vulnerable homeless youths; one said they will do haircuts, some have pledges to assist on health education as well as legal aid,” he said.
“We are carrying out a campaign where we are going to identify the homeless people and we are also going to work with other organisations that are already working with the homeless and people living in the streets.”
Apart from the Homeless World Cup, the initiative is set to benefit Hatcliffe 3 Primary school.
“Hatcliffe 3 Primary School is in desperate need of assistance in terms of classroom blocks, toilets, floors, chairs and books, so that is our secondary beneficiary. “We will also pay school fees and associated costs for 50 students attending the school. We hope to ensure that they attend school on a regular basis,” Chigama said.
