By Amanda Mavhaza
A junior golf association in Zimbabwe has partnered with the Zimbabwe School of Mines to offer its young players opportunities to study mining as a potential alternative career path.
The Partnership
The Matabeleland Junior Golfers Association (MJGA) has joined with the Zimbabwe School of Mines to enroll junior golfers in mining courses. This partnership aims to provide the young athletes with a professional skillset beyond golf.
According to Moreen Nyamutsamba, Secretary of MJGA, the goal is to empower juniors with a fallback option should they not make it as professional golfers.
“We want to bridge the gap, as many juniors end up with no career prospects if golf doesn’t work out,” Nyamutsamba explained. “By studying mining, they gain meaningful employment opportunities.”
Background on MJGA
MJGA is an organisation that supports and develops young golfers in the Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe. It nurtures players from a junior level until around age 23, when they would typically turn professional or pursue other paths.
The Zimbabwe School of Mines, established in 1924, is a prestigious institution offering diverse programs in mining engineering, mineral processing, surveying, and related fields.
Rationale for Mining Education
Nyamutsamba noted that not all junior golfers will secure professional golfing careers, leaving some without clear future prospects. The partnership with the mining school aims to address this challenge.
“If they cannot make a career out of golf, at least they can go into mining,” she said. “We would rather see them gainfully employed than struggling without skills or income.”
By exposing juniors to mining education alongside their golf training, MJGA hopes to increase their long-term career options and financial security.
Implementation
The first group of around 10 MJGA junior golfers recently played in the Zimbabwe School of Mines’ 90th anniversary golf tournament, an early step in the new partnership’s activities.
MJGA plans to facilitate more of its juniors enrolling in relevant mining courses and programs at the institution.
Both organisations believe this collaborative approach provides young athletes with well-rounded development opportunities, better preparing them for professional success, whether as golfers or in alternative mining careers.
