For someone who earns a reported £55 000 a week, Marvelous Nakamba can afford any vacation there is during the off-season break.
After a long season in the English Premier League, which saw him miss five months of action through a knee injury which required surgery, the easiest decision under normal circumstances would to be to take a deserved break.
But Nakamba it appears, does not need one.
The 28-year old Hwange-bred midfield enforcer is making frantic efforts to better the lives of underprivileged children in Zimbabwe through his Marvelous Nakamba Foundation (MNF), an organization he started in 2019 to give back to the community, using the power of education and sport.
Two weeks ago,Nakamba made the dream of a boy who idolizes him, come true.
16-year old Budiriro boy with a disability, Tinashe Mtopoli, got the surprise of his life when his idol Nakamba walked into the classroom at Budiriro 2 High School, looking for him.
The joy was there for all to see.
“I’m happy. I never thought I would see him in person. I was just confined to seeing him on television and on social media,” an elated Tinashe said.
”I want to thank him, because you see where we come from, opportunities are rare. In my life, I only needed once chance, and he has given me one,” he added.
Tinashe’s father, Lovemore Mtopoli, says the Warriors midfielder made not only the boy happy, but the entire family.
“We are very happy as a family. Tinashe told us how well everything went in Bulawayo at the U-17 invitational tournament. We are simply grateful to Marvelous and his foundation for what they did,” he said.
The tournament, which was played at White City Stadium this past weekend, saw young footballers from across the country brave the cold weather in Bulawayo to display their talents.
Mutare-based Majesa Academy, beat Highlanders 2-1 in the final to win it.
Nakamba vowed to continue supporting football at grassroots level.
“Anything is possible, you just have to believe,” he told aspiring young footballers at White City.
“Today we are supporting the U-17s but in future we will also have the U-13 and U-15 tournaments. I will support you with anything.
“Through the Marvelous Nakamba Foundation, I will continue to support you,” Nakamba added.
Through the foundation, which has paid school fees for over 1000 pupils countrywide, Nakamba pledged to continue sporting the underprivileged, through education and sport.
“The Marvelous Nakamba Foundation does a lot of charity work, including paying school fees for thousands of students across the country,” said MNF chief executive officer, Ntombizodwa Toppera.
“We believe in giving everyone an opportunity especially the children because they are the future of this country,” she added.
Marvelous by name and by heart.