“The Beast” breaks new ground at Sizani Primary

Rugby legend Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira and his wife, Kuziva, recently began a social development project that will hopefully raise Sizani School in Foxhill to new heights.

In partnership with sponsor Husqvarna, the Mtawarira’s through The Beast Foundation were looking for somewhere to concentrate their combined energy and a pre-existing relationship with Sizani School, situated in the heart of Salt Rock, made for a natural synergy.

Kuziva, who comes from a background of counselling psychology, shares a passion with Tendai for empowering children. 

The first task was to identify the needs of the school and Kuziva realised that in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, people were worried about two main things: getting food on the table and being healthy.

This prompted an effort to ‘green’ the outdoor areas of the school, as well as adding a vegetable garden.

Sizani has grown from small beginnings of 150 students to the 900 they have now, meaning resources have been stretched to the limit.

Husqvarna is providing equipment and training time, a generator and other essential items to the value of R120 000, and other partners in the project are Future Life Smart Nutrition who have donated over 

9 000 meals, Starke Ayres which donated the vegetable garden starter kits and The Digital Media Collective which donated face masks for the pupils.

Principal Ntombenhle July, who has worked for three decades at Sizani School, notes the importance of the community in ensuring the success of the school.

“This will make such a difference to the students, the educators and the parents of Sizani, and I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed.”

Access to water is an additional hurdle, one that the project could soon help solve.

The school still requires many resources and the Mtawarira family are calling on the community to help.

To assist with the project, contact the Beast Foundation at info@thebeastfoundation.org.