In a country where the girl child is regarded as a second citizens in terms of sponsorship in sport, Rainbow Amateur Netball League has lit the netball fraternity as the girl child hogs the limelight.
The Glow Petroleum funded netball league is in its second year and has depicted to be inline with sustainable development goals.3 Global Goals for Sustainable Development has been encompassed by the Glow Petroleum initiative to uplift the life of the girl child. Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) no. 1 No poverty is tackled as the girls get awards at the end of season with the prize money very lucrative.Also the SDG no. 5 Gender Equality is portrayed as funding netball as sport mainly played by girl child shows that they are equal to their male sports counterparts in soccer, rugby or cricket. SDG no. 10 on Reduced Inequalities is emphasized as the girl child through the netball sport can also play internationally after being groomed locally.
Rainbow Amateur Netball League(RANL) started in 2018 after Glow Petroleum Managing Director Mr Aaron Chinhara saw the need to emancipate the girl child .Only one league, the now defunct Zimbabwe Netball Association(ZINA) sponsored Super League was running.
Mr Aaron Chinhara may have seen the now- defunct Super League not catering well for the welfare of the netball players and thought of chipping in by having an amateur league.It has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that men can sometimes be good child carers than women.
During the maiden run, RANL started with a paltry of 11 teams but this season they rose to 22.Teams broke away from the Super League leaving ZINA incapacitated to run the league.
Mr Chinhara through thick and thin has managed to run the league smoothly with a lot of girls that participated at the Vitality World Cup for the Gems coming from RANL.
Teams in the RANL are divided into six regions namely Matebeleland North,Southern Region,Central Region, Eastern Region,Northern A and B and one national league.
Last year at the awards night, regional and national champions were presented with prize money.Correctional Services Queens walked away with $20 000 for being national champions, second placed Glow Petroleum pocketed $18 000 whilst Platinum Queens on third received $14 000.On the day, many awards were presented fro different achievements.
This year the league is being sponsored to the tune of $250 000.
‘ZINA remains our mother body and we are committed to fulfilling the requirements towards affiliation.We are not at war with them, in any way and we simply want to be given a chance on top of giving the girl child a platform to benefit from their sweat” RANL Secretary General Moses Gukurume was quoted by the Sunday Mail at the RANL AGM, in March, this year.
The statement by RANL Secretary General shows how RANL is spearheading the emancipation of the girl child through sport.
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