Africa Daily

Why does ‘the Beast’ think education is key?


Listen Later

“Dream big! You can achieve your wildest dreams as long as you work hard and get yourself in school.”

Nicknamed ‘the Beast’, Tendai Mtawarira is the most-capped prop to have played for the Springboks.

Born in Zimbabwe, his talent at rugby was quickly spotted and he was offered a bursary as a teenager to train with the Sharks in South Africa. In 2008 he was called up to play for the national squad as he’d lived in the country for enough time.

But in 2010 he was barred from playing because of a controversy over his nationality. It took the intervention of Archbishop Desmond Tutu before he was able to play for the team again.

He also struggled sometimes as a big, aggressive child. And so - now he’s retired from rugby - his new passion is helping children and young adults reach their potential, through his ‘Beast Academy’ and also as an Unicef ambassador.

Alan Kasujja speaks to the Beast – just back from a trip with Unicef to South Sudan – but also with a young South Sudanese woman whose journey has taken her from cattle camp, to street child, to finally becoming an ‘inspirator’ who helps other young people to realise their goals.

NOTE: Correction made at 0645 GMT changing UNHCR to Unicef.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Africa DailyBy BBC World Service

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

170 ratings


More shows like Africa Daily

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

Economist Podcasts by The Economist

Economist Podcasts

4,225 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

523 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

Focus on Africa by BBC World Service

Focus on Africa

376 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,952 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

357 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

746 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

240 Listeners

Al Jazeera News Updates by Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera News Updates

293 Listeners

The Take by Al Jazeera

The Take

604 Listeners

The Intelligence from The Economist by The Economist

The Intelligence from The Economist

2,592 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

The Missing Cryptoqueen by BBC Sounds

The Missing Cryptoqueen

1,024 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners

The Inside Story Podcast by Al Jazeera

The Inside Story Podcast

149 Listeners

The Foreign Affairs Interview by Foreign Affairs Magazine

The Foreign Affairs Interview

496 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

394 Listeners