Back in summer 2015 there was a brief discussion between Daniel and I about getting season tickets for Scunthorpe United. We did. The 2015/16 season kicked off in August and we went to at least 25 games home and away.
Sat just behind us were some fans we spoke to most games, yet strangely never learned their names. In the picture below, they can be clearly seen behind Daniel. All 5 of them are from the same family. They still sit in the same seats, but we have moved a couple of blocks away from them.
They recently heard and read about this project, and wanted to give something. They didn’t have computers to donate, but are involved in local boys & teens amateur football teams. They have some kits from a previous season from two of the teams which they gave to me earlier this year. Shirts, shorts, socks one keepers top and some bibs – see pictures below. They are mostly medium sizes.
Then there are the 16 shirts donated by Scunthorpe United too, mostly smaller sizes suitable for the Primary school I think.
All of these and maybe more will be heading to Pakati in a few months…
To those who gave these donations, THANK YOU!!
If you, or any team you support, would like to donate shirts, kit, boots and/or memorabilia either to send or for sale, please see below for full contact details
Just like the girls recently, Pakati boys football team have their Zonal competition coming up. This Friday, 5th July, they are joined by hosts Mabika Secondary, Dombodzvuku Secondary and hopefully Munamba Secondary schools.
The boys at Pakati have been in training during the afternoons following their lessons.
Pakati school Boys u-20’s football team in training
Mr Kahuni, Sports Director at Pakati, tells us that last year, the boys lost in the District competitions to Chemhondoro in the semi-finals, suffering a similar fate to the girls recently – losing out in a penalty shoot-out.
After talking to the football coach, Mr Magabaza, the feeling is that Pakati will do even better this year. The coach says they are a stronger side than last year, promising to get the best results at Zonal level this time around.
Pakati school boys team in training
The coach says the boys fear no-one as they feel they are very strong this year!
Regarding the girls team, Mrs Pindura (Deputy Head, English Teacher) said recently that. “….my soccer girls played very well, but needed to improve their confidence level, even when playing bare-footed. They have lots of potential….we will try again next year”
Wishing the Pakati Secondary school boys u-20’s football team every success for this coming Friday!!
Simon is a avid collector os football shirts, predominantly of SUFC (The Iron), but has an in-depth knowledge of the collectors market for shirts from any club.
All the shirts donated to me and friends of pakati to sell I have passed them on to him. Simon runs his own e-bay site and the shirts seen on here today are the latest to be offered up for sale.
Simon has a twittee account @ScunthorpeMWS on which he is promoting these sales. Friends of Pakati have benefitted to the tune of around £400 so far. More still to come I am promised.
WELL DONE SIMON, AND ‘TATENDA’ – WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS!
Since last September when I revisited Pakati after a long absence, the school has never been far from my thoughts. It is beacuse of the visit that I began this blog & website.
With some of Pakati staff in 2018
From the beginning it has been about helping Pakati schools, their students, staff and the local community, to try to improve the educational opportunities at Pakati, all with local support and approval. I am in regular contact with current staff, and a number of former students, including some dating back to before my time teaching at Pakati. I have had a tremendous amount of support from all of them.
This blog has, I hope, opened many eyes to the reality of life in rural Zimbabwe, as Pakati is simply one area like many others there. Life can be difficult, but the community I got to know are dedicated, hard-working subsistence farmers, but very warm and welcoming, also quick to laugh.
Pakati has changed since I first went there in 1989 – there are new buildings, electricity, more teachers houses, new school signboards, fencing, a car park even! However….
Photo by Mrs Pindura, Deputy Head & Teacher of English
….some things have hardly changed at all. Class sizes have not really changed, nor has the lack of text books – the school has just had some help from UNICEF who donated text books for 3 subjects for the four year groups, Form 1 to Form 4 – but also lack of desks, practical subject equipment, sports kits, football boots…it is heartbreaking to me to read the story yesterday about the girls football team who played barefoot..
Pakati Girls football team 2019
What is NOT lacking is the enthusiasm of the students, their success under very difficult conditions, the hard work & dedication of the staff at the school in spite of the problems they face on a daily basis.
Therefore, I am expanding my request for help from the IT equipment I originally wanted to raise funds for – I now am asking for donations, in either cash or kind – towards providing help with sports kits, boots, desks, even uniforms for those students from the very poorest families – you can read stories here on the blog by former students like Bothwell Riside, Lorraine Mapuranga, Locardia Mandishayika and others. You can read some of my own memories, also staff profiles and stories, such as from Mrs Pindura, Deputy Head of Pakati Secondary school. Scroll down & take the time to find out more and see photos from around the schools and community around Pakati.
Zonal competition for boys under-20’s football is being held on Friday 5th July, at Mabika Secondary school. It is due to have the same schools involved as the girls, Mabika, Munamba, Dombodzvuku and Pakati.
Headmaster Mr Chifaka with the boys football team
Fundraising update : current total is just over £1000 but £170 in cash still to input to the account. Discussions about sales of football shirts tell me there is still more to come in the near future…still trying to get more items to sell.
DISTRICT COMPETITIONS, MAGAYA SECONDARY SCHOOL, FRIDAY 14TH JUNE 2019
The journey to Magaya – Pakati to Musami, to the Harare-Mutoko road past the Murewa turn-off, then off the main road to Magaya Secondary school – is around 60km, and it took about 2 hours to make.
Pakati Secondary school v Cheunje High school Under-20’s girls football
In Pakati’s first game, against Cheunje High school, the result was a 0-0 draw.
Hosts Magaya Secindary school v Pakati, Second pool match
Pakati won the second match in their pool, 1-0 against Magaya, the hosts. The scorer was Tinotenda Kanguni for Pakati. This meant Pakati qualified for the semi-finals
The semi-final took place – Pakati v Hokodzi Secondary school. It was another 0-0 draw, but heartbreak for Pakati – they lost on penalties!
This from Mr Kahuni, Sports Director at Pakati: ‘The girls were very disappointed with the outcome of the penalty shoot-out. They played very well, but sustained injuries during the game. Their opponents, Hokodzi Secondary school (not far from Pakati), wore football boots, whilst Pakati girls played barefoot. This contributed to them failing to hit the ball well during the penalty shoot-out.’
‘At the volleyball pitch we played our first match against Magaya and won 2 sets to Zero, then played our second game against Rota, and also won 2 sets to zero. We then proceed to the semi final played against Hokodzi – first set Pakati 15-8 Hokodzi; second set Pakati 15-6 Hokodzi.
Pakati in blue take on Rota in yellow in the girks under-20 volleyball competition
Final match – Chemhondoro 15-10 Pakati first set, and second set Chemhondoro 15- 8 Pakati.
Actualy it was a tough game but we played to our best and it shows a great improvement to our team, as we were playing against bigger schools like Chemhondoro which are high schools with better standards compared to Pakati Secondary school.’
Pakati girls prepare for their volleyball matches at the District competitions
Pakati travel to Magaya Secondary School, east of Murewa, a journey of around 60km each way
Mr Kahuni, Sports Director at Pakati Seccondary school, tells Friends of Pakati that the two girls teams competing at the District competitions are ready…..
Talking to the captain of the under-20’s girls football team, Marvis Kanguni (pictured below ealier today), she told Mr Kahuni ‘…the girls are strong and promising to bring the District Cup to Pakati’
Marvis Kanguni, team captain
Marvis is hoping to reach the finals tomorrow and proceed to the next round, the Provincial competition for Mashonaland East.
The District competition is at Magaya Secondary school, a difficult journey of around 60 km each way. Nine schools are due to compete, including the hosts, Pakati, Cheunje High, Chemhondoro High, Nyahuni High, Kambarani High, Hurungwe High and Hokodzi Secondary.
The teams are in 3 pools of 3, A B & C. The three winners plus the best 2nd place team then go to the semi final games, the 2 winners play in the final.
Pakati Secondary school under-20’s girls football team
The under 20’s girls volleyball team qualified for these competitions too, though by default, as the other schools failed to put out teams in last weeks Zonal games. Their competition tomorrow will be done in the same format as the football, A B & C, semis & final.
Girls under-20 voleyball team, with Head Mr Chifaka (l) & Mr Mutyavaviri, their coach (r)
Pakati Secondary school has had success in the Zonal competition on Friday 7th June.
The Under-20’s girls football team played 2 matches rather than the expected 3, as one school had failed to turn up.
Their first game was against Dombodzvuku, and Pakati won 1-0
The scorer was Marvis Kanguni, captain of the Pakati team
Their second game was against the host school, Mabika, and again Pakati were victorious, by a score of 3-0.
Goals for Pakati came from Mavis Kanguni again, Tinny N and one Tinotenda K.
Coin toss before the game – Marvis Kanguni is the captain of Pakati, in the yellow top
Success in the under 20’s volleyball was limited to the girls, even though they didn’t even play…both Mabika and Dombodzvuku had failed to provide a team, so Pakati went through to the District competition automatically, by default.
The boys team won their first game against Mabika by 15-10, but lost to Dombodzvuku 13-15, which meant Pakati failed to make it to the District competition. Dombodzvuku boys were the successful volleyball team.
Pakati Secondary school Under 20’s girls football team have qualified for the next level – District level – by beating their counterparts from hosts Mabika, and Dombodzvuku! WELL DONE PAKATI!!
Under 20’s girls football – Zonal competition, Friday 7th June 2019 Held at Mabika Secondary School
Pakati girls are in the yellow tops, getting ready to play Mabika.
Team talk before the Mabika game
More information soon! News on the boys and girls Under 20’s volleyball teams & full results, with match reports to follow soon…
