Female boxer Catherine Phiri has been handed a college scholarship to study in Italy when she completes her secondary school education.
The WBC female bantamweight champions is a beneficiary of the Justina Mutale Foundation that is offering 25 scholarships to talented underprivileged girls and women across Africa.
The Justina Mutale Foundation has partnered with the European School of Economics (ESE) to offer Business and Leadership Scholarships while the Rai University of India will offer Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) scholarships to the women and girls.
In a statement released by first press secretary press and public relations at the Zambia High Commission in the UK Abigail Chaponda , Catherine was awarded a sports management scholarship that was officially unveiled on Thursday at Zambia House in London.
“Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom His Excellency Mr. Muyeba Chikonde said in his welcoming remarks that Zambia attaches great importance to the empowerment of women and girls and has practically demonstrated this through various ways and that is why organisations such as the Justina Mutale Foundation which is complimenting Government’s efforts should be supported,” the statement read.
Chikonde added that the sports management course will be a stepping stone for Catherine after she hangs up her gloves.
Meanwhile, Justina Mutale said at the function that Catherine and 24 other female recipients will be the first to benefit from the scholarships.
“We all need to acknowledge that our Governments do not have all the answers, nor the requisite resources to solve the problems that our Continent faces regarding educating our youth, especially our young women and girls. Our scholarship programmes aims to give young women from Africa an opportunity of a lifetime. Cross-cultural learning and studying abroad can be transformative to one’s future and outlook on life”, Mutale said.
Meanwhile, Catherine has 11 wins and one defeat.
CONGRATULATION CATHERINE. GO GET IT GIRL!!!
Let hope society allows her to go and study. Zambians, especially politicians never want anyone to advance in life.
Catherine congratulations and lease take this as a gift. When you educate yourself can only empower other young women like yourself. You might be offered permanent residency to an Italian citizenship and things Zambia needs to be concerned with. Other countries take sports seriously and have the revenue to support it. Meanwhile we have a Youth and Sports Minister and a Minister of Tourism of Arts who have failed to utilize Catherine’s potential. We could have held fights in Zambia drawing visitors to come to our destination and bring forex. Meanwhile the dunderhead of our tourism minister has resorted to giving Trophy Hunting licences to kill hippos. This ***** really needs to be fired! A lack of common sense and greed in pocketing that money results to such careless and unnecessary…
Congrats Catherine. Well done Justina Mutale Foundation for the initiative. “The WBC female bantamweight champions is a beneficiary of the Justina Mutale Foundation that is offering 25 scholarships to talented underprivileged girls and women across Africa.” However, the criteria used to pick Catherine is not correct & has left out the rightful deserving candidates. How can the hard worker WBC female bantamweight champion be talented underprivileged? Then who is privileged? If the criteria was excelling girls this could be correct & fair. Don’t wish her poverty which she doesn’t aspire for.
@True Zambia, you have an American flag on your profile meaning you are blogging from the States, but your mindset concerning scholarship is way back in the bush. How do kids in high school in the USA gets scholarship to play in Colleges, what do you know about that. They get that through through their best performance in sports, that’s how you should look at it. This Zambian boxer has been recognized because of the sport she plays you dummie! You can embarrass yourself on the platform like that. It really tell the level of your education. Ati bekala ku America and yet you know jack. Let to appreciate when a fellow Zambian achieve something than just being negative. People like you always draws our country behind from changing our mindset.
@True Zambian, you are in USA and yet failed to do a little research to find out just how little female boxers make!When Laila Ali started, she was making around $15,000 a fight compared to 7 figure prize money for men.
Today, female boxers are moving to mexico for better opportunities and what they are chasing to $100, 000 a fight for the top earners! So just how much do you think Catherine Phiri has earned so far? And then take away travel expenses, training, money she pays her manager etc, she surely does not have much to pay out of her pocket for an education in Europe! ….and also like Zambiano said, she worked hard to be where she is and so deserves the scholarship! Category cannot be just underprivileged & good marks, they have to prove that hard work, determination and…
This is very good. It will surely encourage her to aim even higher. Congrats baby girl!
Congratulations Catherine, all the best and keep up the good work
@ Zambiano
I support scholarships 100% & that is why I have also congratulated Justina Mutale Foundation for the job well done. “Well done Justina Mutale Foundation for the initiative.” My worry is classifying the World Champion who has achieved what most Zambians will never achieve as one underprivileged girls and women across Africa. If you say excelling or privileged girls and women across Africa, I have no quarrel she has excelled. Can you call World Champion Floyd Mayweather underprivileged?
Congrats…God be with you.
You are playing with this woman …dont be surprised that Caterine is married and boxing under Italian flag being promoted by her!!