BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
NOT only is she a trailblazer for young women in Zimbabwe when it comes to motorsport, but teenage motocross sensation Tanya Muzinda is also a girl with big dreams and a big heart.
At 14, Muzinda is paying school fees for about 100 disadvantaged kids in Harare and is targeting 500 by the end of next year.
Over and above this, Tanya has adopted an orphanage in Warren Park surburb of Harare called Nyarirai Children’s Home. She literally runs the opharnage, financing all its needs.
A fortnight ago Muzinda was at Chinamano Primary School in Epworth where she paid school fees for 50 of the disadvantaged children she is assisting.
“I have taken a small role in ensuring the girl child has access to education, and not left behind. From my little savings l have managed to pay school fees for 40 girls and five boys, amongst the 45 are 10 kids in the special class and those are my favourites,” she wrote on her official Facebook page recently.
“My dream is to send 500 kids in all 10 provinces of the country by end of the year 2020 by God’s grace and l have hope that this dream is achievable. I have a passion for sport, but l have a greater one for education as the foundation and right to every child. I pray that God gives me strength, wisdom and ability to keep using my sport as a great tool to help the vulnerable in my society,” she said.
Muzinda is arguably the most successful female motocross rider in the country having won a countless number of medals locally and abroad mainly racing against boys.
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She is also a multiple junior sportsperson of the year in the country while she won at Region 5 African Union Awards last year as well as the Mandela Trophy. The teenager was recently nominated for the African Child Sport Personality of the Year in Africa award.
Tanya has also been selected by the United Nations as honorary ambassador for gender, youth and sport while she is also the European Union’s ambassador for food security in rural areas
Muzinda is delighted to enjoy the priviledge of putting smiles on the faces of other kids by paying their school fees.
“I’m really grateful that I am able to help these kids. Not every kid has an opportunity to do something like this for other kids. So I would never take it for granted,” Muzinda told The Sports Hub in an exclusive interview last week.
“It started when I had no bike, and I was always upset and depressed and knew that there was nothing I could do about it. I had recently won some awards that came with prize money. So with my share, I was thinking of what to do with my money.
“I then started thinking about other children who might be in the same situation with me, school kids. I then decided to save up my money so I could start paying for those less privileged,” she revealed.
“I have started with Chinamano Primary School in Epworth. I have been to Matabeleland and Manicaland to identify other schools. The ultimate goal in the gesture is to pay for 500 kids in all 10 provinces before end of 2020. So far I have done 100 kids,” Muzinda said.
Since the start of the year Muzinda has been preparing for a big event, the World Junior Amateur Championships set for the United States in October and November.
Her goal remains to race in the Women World Championship.
“My goal in motocross is to race in the Women World Championships with women from all around the world. This has been a dream of mine since I was nine. I also want to become the first black African female to win the motocross world championships,” she said.
“I am very grateful for all that I have achieved so far. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for my team. I am also grateful for my family, which has been with me since day one.”
Away from the hustle and bustle of motocross, Muzinda is an art enthusiast.
