Top Zimbabwe women’s team volleyball player, Jennipher Tembo, has found a new home in Rwanda, joining top side, Rwanda Revenue Authority, after leaving Malawi’s Wolves Volleyball Club.
The 21-year-old spent three years in Malawi where she was on a university scholarship and will finish off her studies online.
Her first high level involvement in the revenue side’s colours will be the African Volleyball Champions where her team is billed to participate.
Malawi Wolves’ technical director Thulani Maphosa, who offered Tembo a scholarship, expressed excitement at seeing her make the cut in East Africa.
“Jennipher has been with me for over three years and my role is to secure a better future and better experience for players. While it is a big loss for Malawi, it is a big gain for the Zimbabwe national team and the player,” Maphosa told NewsDay Weekender Sport.
“Moving to Rwanda was part of my plan as I offered her scholarship in Malawi for a degree in Social Sciences and looked after her like my own daughter and mentored her in the process to be a better player and progress for international recognition. It’s exciting that she has made the cut at that level. The level of play is far much higher in East Africa.”
Maphosa acknowledged highly-related Bulawayo-based Zimbabwe volleyball development coach Vulindlela Moyo for identifying and moulding Tembo into an internationally recognised star.
“She was coached by Moyo, from Mpopoma High School, played for Spartans Bulawayo, owned by Vulindlela, then for the Under 20 in the Region 5 Games, where I saw her and offered her a scholarship. So, I have been looking after her and developing her to meet the standards for international recognition,” Maphosa added.
Moyo, who has produced several players from Bulawayo, including Tembo said, the 21-year-old always had something special through her ability to play in almost every department.
“It’s unfortunate I’m not the end user because any product is good for the end user. I’m a fantasy of development. I like bringing up what I think should come out in a player. I coached her when she was in primary school, then she went to Mpopoma,” quipped Moyo.
“I was interested in coaching the girls because they were few who were playing at that time. I coached her together with Rosemary Ncube who ended up at UZ. She was good, but Jennipher was a better player because of her versatility. Jennipher can play centre; I turned her to play outside, and she can set.”