Waiter uses tips to help support youngsters' dreams

One waiter remembered what it was like to dream big when he was a child, but he never had the support he wanted. Now, to change the lives of the younger generation, he is using the tips he earns in the restaurant to bring them joy. This is the story of Cavin Muodzi and how his tips helped him open a free soccer academy for children.

Dreaming big

When he was a child, 24-year-old Cavin Muodzi wanted to be a soccer star, but there was a problem. His mother wanted her young son to focus on his studies instead, so she encouraged him to follow an academic path. That did not stop the young man from dreaming and now that’s he’s grown up he wants to provide the opportunity to excel in sports that he didn’t get.
Muodzi believes the young soccer stars in Kalk Bay, South Africa, are missing out on the chance to play professionally as their parents are pushing them toward their studies. It is important to have an education so Muodzi has found a world in which the children can have both.

Making a sacrifice

Muodzi believes his students have real talent and didn’t want them to miss out on an opportunity for greater things. That’s why he spends most of his wages, that are largely made up of tips, on funding his soccer school. Through his positive message, Muodzi has been able to find help from his church and nearby schools.

Reaching out

Now 43 young soccer players are training at Muodzi’s academy. When he first created the academy he only had eight players, but many more wanted to join, his problem was he just didn’t have the room. The first field Muodzi trained the youths on was filled with dangers and often terrorized by local gangsters. Then, with some help from the schools and church, he was able to get better facilities.

Finding a purpose in life

One of the academy members, 15-year-old Yibanathi Joji said that before joining he didn’t know what his purpose in life was. Now he dreams of playing soccer at one of Europe’s most famous clubs, Real Madrid. Thanks to Muodzi’s generosity with both his time and money, kids in the Kalk Bay area of South Africa are dreaming big.

The future

Muodzi is delighted with the impact his academy has had so far, but there is still so much he wants to do. The waiter admits the school is lacking in basic equipment and only has a limited number of soccer balls.
Muodzi plans to reach out through his soccer academy and work with other communities in his local area and across South Africa. He hopes that disadvantaged children and orphans can find opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have had through his academy.
Sports can have a huge impact on young children and those in impoverished areas can find a way to a better life. Cavin Muodzi hopes his academy will lead to better experiences for all the children he trains using the money he makes from his waiting service tips.