Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is a Zimbabwean-born South African rugby legend, entrepreneur, philanthropist and UNICEF Regional Ambassador for Eastern and Southern Africa, whose work is rooted in the belief that education is the great equaliser and that every child deserves the opportunity to learn and fulfil their full potential.
Over a professional career of 17 years, Tendai played for the Springboks from 2008 and won the 2019 Rugby World Cup with South Africa. His commitment to young people led him to establish The Beast Foundation in 2020, which supports children and young people from underprivileged backgrounds through sport, education and life skills, including scholarships and mentoring.
Since his appointment as UNICEF Regional Ambassador in 2022, he has travelled with UNICEF to Kenya, Zambia and South Sudan, meeting children and families and highlighting the barriers that keep many children from learning.
In his role as UNICEF Regional Ambassador, Tendai’s focus is on every child’s right to quality education, particularly for the most vulnerable children, and on the power of sport to unite and inspire young people.
Source: www.unicef.org
