The Herald visited the grannies during a training session at Nkowankowa Stadium to find out how they are doing since the Grannies International Football Tournament (GIFT) in March this year. Their determination and commitment to soccer is unwavered as they do not allow the scorching sun preventing them from training.

GIFT is an event where women over 50 years participate. Teams from Zambia, France, Mozambique, four American teams, and seven South African teams were part of the games in March. Although the local team did not win the World Cup, Vakhegula are not allowing that to stop them from playing the sport. The Breakers, a team from America won the cup.

Also read: Vakhegula Vakhegula ‘soccer grannies’ team launched in Mozambique

Since the global tournament the local grannies have played two friendly matches away and they will be playing a friendly match against Malamulele Vakhegula on Saturday, October 28. According to their coach, Abraham Sevor, the number of players joining the team after the World Cup have multiplied and the Nkowankowa-based club now has over 50 members.

“I believe the tournament has contributed to drawing new people to the team, we are pleased to see new faces and we are still calling for more people to join.” The team was founded by philanthropist, Beka Ntsanwisi, while she ran a home-base care programme in 2007.She took the elderly women for exercises at the stadium with the aim to improve their health.

She eventually decided to start a soccer club. Ntsanwisi has since then established teams for the elderly all over the world, including Zambia, Mozambique and throughout South Africa.