[Pick] The reason why a 17-year-old Zimbabwean girl became a'taekwondo evangelist'

In a small town in Zimbabwe, the'taekwondo' craze caused by a teenage girl is blowing.

On the 5th of the local time, foreign media such as Al Jazeera, privately managed by Qatar, introduced the story of 17-year-old Natshiraishi Maricha, who is teaching taekwondo to young girls against social habits.

Maricha lives in Epworth, a small city 15 km from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.

Although most of the residents are difficult to afford, the backyard of Maricha's house is always full of vigor and laughter.

This is because Taekwondo classes are held in which girls from the age of 4 to the age of Maricha participate.

Maricha, who has been interested in various martial arts around the world since the age of 5, was the most talented in Taekwondo.

In Zimbabwe, where most of the people are enthusiastic about soccer, Taekwondo was a sport of no attention at all, but Mariza devoted herself to training with a sense of mission to teach Taekwondo to girls like her.

Poverty families, who had difficulty making a living, received money from the male family in exchange for a young daughter, and many followed the religious vice of having to marry a girl 10 years old or younger to an adult male.

In 2016, the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe abolished the law stipulating that ``women can marry if they are 16 years of age or older,'' and revised the law so that women can only marry if they are 18 years of age or older, but the reality is not improving. Did not.

Fortunately, Maricha met her parents who supported her dreams and escaped forced marriage, but she was sad to see her friends who had attended school together were abused or sexually assaulted by her husband, or were abandoned overnight and threatened their livelihood.

After class, we also had time to talk about their experiences and problems with child marriage.

Women who have gained courage and confidence while learning Taekwondo are actually starting to change their lives.

21-year-old Mandazar decided to go back to school where she dropped out due to her husband's compulsion.

Chi Mombe, a 17-year-old raising two children alone, is leading an independent life, throwing away anticipation that her husband, who had run away, will return.

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In addition, he urged interest from the international community, saying, "As schools are closed due to Corona 19, many children are unable to attend school. Children's marriage damage is more common than ever."

This is'News Pick'.

(Photo ='taekwondokidzw' Twitter)