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Sports Reporter 

A YOUNG Zimbabwean taekwondo enthusiast, Natsiraishe Maritsa, was this week recognised for her efforts to fight child marriages. 

She received the Change Champions Young Campaigner Award from Population Matters. 

Population Matters is a UK-based international charity campaigning for a sustainable future. 

It promotes human rights, women’s empowerment and global justice. 

Maritsa is using taekwondo, to fight child marriages, and her efforts have not gone unnoticed. 

According to Population Matters’ website, to mark the World Population Day 2021 on July 11, they gave awards to individuals, and organisations across the globe, for their progressive, effective, and brave work. 

These acts include promoting reproductive rights, defending the environment, and enlightening the public, about the challenges faced by humanity, and the solutions that are available. 

There were different categories — women’s champion, family choice champion, young campaigner, media story, earth champion, shining a light, online campaign, population matters supporter and a special award. 

The 17-year-old was among the individuals, and organisations, that got the awards, as she picked the Young Campaigner award. 

The winner received a uniquely designed award, as well as £500 donation for the charity, or cause of their choice. 

“I am humbled and overwhelmed by this great news. It is an honour to be a recipient of the Young Campaigner Award. 

“I appreciate this gesture greatly, it motivates and inspires me and most of all makes me feel that I am not alone in this journey of bringing a change to human attitude. 

“My chief aim is to see girls getting educated and empowered with life skills,” said Maritsa. 

She teaches under-age girls taekwondo lessons, to build their confidence and hosts discussions, to warn her community of the harms of child marriage and discourage girls, from getting married early. 

The organisation promotes positive, practical, ethical solutions — encouraging smaller families, inspiring people to consume sustainably, with the aim of enabling everyone to enjoy a decent quality of life while respecting, and sustaining natural ecosystems, upon which all life on earth, depends.