MARONDERA-BASED Hokima Cricket Academy founder Kudzai Mutiti has been invited to be part of this year's edition of the Young Entrepreneurs Summit to be hosted by the American Sports Association in New York later this year.
Mutiti will be part of more than 64 representatives from more than 64 countries, who will share stories on the social impact projects they are undertaking to lift communities.
Mutiti has described the invitation to speak at the Youth Entrepreneur Summit as an honour which will unlock opportunities for the Marondera-based cricket academy.
“I feel very greatly honoured to be invited on such a big platform where young entrepreneurs from across the globe, who are running community projects with positive impact meet and share their stories," he said.
“I am excited to share the story of Hokima Cricket Academy, looking at my background, where my journey originally started in the high density areas.”
Having released a documentary titled The Love Affair last year that chronicles his life from the dust streets of Marondera to achieving his cricket dream, Mutiti believes the YES will be an opportunity to tell the story of perseverance.
“We will also take the opportunity to showcase our documentary The Love affair and share that with determination, dedication and commitment an individual can achieve his goals in life," said Mutiti.
The invitation to be part of the New York summit comes barely a month after Mutiti was awarded with a South Africa FOYA award, an award which sought to recognise and appreciate youths who are contributing to the development of Africa.
Mutiti is optimistic that the recognition the cricket academy is receiving will open up opportunities for the Marondera-based academy and uplift children from underprivileged backgrounds.
“Since the invitation to YES summit comes after barely a month after the FOYA award it’s definitely showing that our work is being recognized out there it definitely comes as encouragement to us as the Hokima team as it simply means that we are doing something worthwhile and we should keep going and never grow weary," he said.
"For us as Hokima Cricket Academy, being at the YES means more exposure, a new learning experience and a massive opportunity once more to tell the world about what we have been doing for the past four years and this is an opportunity for us to create opportunities for the young kids,” he said.
Four years after founding the Hokima Cricket Academy, Mutiti is happy with the progress that the academy has achieved and the impact it has brought to the community.
“Ever since we started the project we have always believed that the project will make a huge impact, I am a person, who strongly believes in never giving up and I believe that whatever that comes from the heart never fails, cricket has always been in my heart ever since my early childhood and I know from now on the sky is the limit,” he said.