"Girls have been disadvantaged in society" - Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba vows to fight child marriage in Zimbabwe
Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba has vowed to help put a stop to the evil of child marriage in his home country of Zimbabwe through his foundation.
The 28-year-old, who plies his trade as a ball-winning midfielder for the Steven Gerrard-coached side, spent months on the sidelines last season due to injuries. But he continued to be a champion for vulnerable children in society through his Marvelous Nakamba Foundation.
We are delighted to have taken the first step towards a journey of a thousand miles.
Works have started in the 1st phase of construction of the Marvelous Nakamba Multi purpose Sports Complex in Mahatshula, Bulawayo
@Nakamba_11 @AVFCFoundation @AVFCOfficial https://t.co/omaxVhBcln
Ahead of the Day of the African Child on June 16, on Tuesday, Nakamba signed a pledge with UNICEF Zimbabwe to be a role model in the community.
Speaking to The Herald, he said:
"I thrive to stand for what is right in society. I come from a disadvantaged background in Dhinde, Hwange, down there. I have lived in a ghetto and you know growing up, you see a lot of abnormalities going on."
He added further:
"I stand for what is right and I am going to use my brand to try and help in the best way possible. Girls have been disadvantaged in society since years back and we have to fight to end that."
Nakamba and his ambitions at Aston Villa
Marvelous Nakamba, who is entering his fourth season with Aston Villa, is lookibg forward to the 2022-23 season. The former Club Brugge midfielder missed out major chunks of last season due to a sprain, which also forced him to miss this year's CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
"I am looking forward to a very exciting season next term given that I was dogged by injuries the last time out. I am very pleased with the chances that I have been given by the technical staff (at Aston Villa) and I am looking forward to keep on playing well."
It was great to see you back out there on Friday, @Nakamba_11. 💪 https://t.co/M8yfL7zmgt
He continued:
"The competition has always been very tough at the club and in the Premier League. Generally, competition is part of the game, so competition is never a new phenomenon in football. I will go back and work hard in training to improve every aspect of my game. There is always room for improvement."
Nakamba made only 18 appearances across all competitions last season, picking up six yellow cards along the way.