Scottland FC Transforms Life of Viral Rufaro Garbage Picker and His Family
THE heavens have smiled on little boy Mukudzei Umali who is seen in a viral video picking plastic litter at Rufaro Stadium in March this year, after Scottland Football Club president and member of parliament for Mabvuku-Tafara constituency Scott Sakupwanya availed a bursary to finance his education together with his three siblings.
On that memorable day, Scottland defeated CAPS United 2–0 at Rufaro Stadium. While the crowd dispersed, little Mukudzei began picking up plastic waste from the stands. Someone filmed the act, and the video soon spread widely across social media.
What began as an ordinary post-match scene quickly evolved into a story that captured the nation’s heart.
The image of Mukudzei diligently collecting rubbish stirred emotions far and wide. Many lamented the boy’s plight, but few took concrete action to address it.
Oblivious to critics who otherwise chose to blame his parents, this little soul innocently carried a duty demonstrating maturity far beyond his age.
Mukudzei’s mother had shed tears in sorrow just a month before when her son went viral for reasons unknown. However, they were now tears of pure joy as she settled into her new apartment.
“I am very happy, I never thought our lives would change for the better after being hurt seeing my child circulating on social media,” Mukudzei’s mother, Memory Ndoro said.
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children,” a quote by Nelson Mandela.
True to this assertion, Scottland Football Club president Honourable Scott Sakupwanya responded to the video and offered full scholarships to the four children, bought a house for the family while also employing the mother at their clinic in Mabvuku as well as giving the father Brenna Umali who is a former goalkeeper at Black Rhinos a coaching job at Scottland’s developmental side.
“I want to thank Honourable Scott Sakupwanya for what he has done, our lives have been changed. We used to stay in Mbare in one room with two families sharing while dividing it with a curtain. Now my wish is for my children to work hard so that they help others just like what Honourable has done for us,” Mukudzei’s mother said.
The club is determined to change lives beyond the football pitch.
“As a club, we are determined to help anyone remember we take our players from the community so we need to help the community, right now we have managed to get birth certificates for the children, take them to school and we will continue to do this whenever we can, we should be a society that helps each other,” Scottland secretary general, Fortune Bgwoni said.
Scottland pledged to sponsor the children’s education up to university level.
The story that started at Rufaro Stadium ends here with the children going to school and now living in Mabvuku. ZBC
