Rising Stars by STEPHEN PHIRI
ONLY two of the five members in Emmanuel Chirwa’s family are in school.
Emmanuel, the third sibling, is among the three children to whom school is not part of daily life.
Emmanuel stopped school in grade two due to his parent’s financial constraints.
Emmanuel’s father Yotam Chirwa is a watchman in Lusaka while his mother Cecilia Mutale is a maid.
His two eldest siblings are in grade eight and six respectively.
As a way of getting by, the then eight-year-old Emmanuel went onto the streets to seek a living.
“I was on the streets for two years (2008 to 2010) and I `smoked’ petrol,” Emmanuel recalls.
But rather than allow his mind and body to continue being the Devil’s workshop, Emmanuel turned to football and he is today a promising striker.
Upbringing
Emmanuel was born on Christmas day in 2000.  Christmas day is celebrated world over as the day when Jesus was born.
Like any other child, Emmanuel, which means `The Lord is with us’, started school in 2006 at Cornerstone Community School in Lusaka.
In 2007, Emmanuel’s parents could not manage to pay school fees and he dropped out of school.  He was hurt.
“I used to feel bad to see my friends going to school. I could ask myself what I did for me not to go to school. It was painful,” Emmanuel says.
As a way of keeping himself busy, Emmanuel trekked to the streets and met some notorious boys who introduced him to vices of the streets.
“While on the streets I learnt how to smoke (inhale) petrol (fumes) and I did that for two years,” Emmanuel says.
He says it was a painful two years on the streets.
Emmanuel says life on the streets is tough and that street kids at times are forced to steal as a way of survival.
He says on a good day some good Samaritans used to assist them.
“But this assistance was not every day, it was occasional,” he says.
Emmanuel hopes a sponsor will soon help him get back to school.
Career
Towards the end of 2010, Emmanuel met a friend who introduced him to Mapili Youth Soccer Academy, thus started his football career at the age of six.
He says it was not easy to adapt to life at the academy because he was used to the street life of using abusive language.
At Mapili, children are taught good manners and have prayer sessions.
Emmanuel is a striker and has turned his street aggression to being a prolific attacker on the pitch.  In his first season at the academy last year he scored 17 goals for the under-12 team.
He was a topscorer and is looking forward to scoring more goals in the 2012 season.
Emmanuel is confident that his knack for goals will draw the attention of the under-15 national team technical bench to consider him for future engagements.
Emmanuel style of play is reminiscent to that of the late Nkana and Zambia international Kelvin “Malaza” Mutale.
Emmanuel would, however, rather be likened to Zambia national soccer team midfielder Rainford Kalaba.
“I am looking forward to meeting Rainford Kalaba and I want to shake his hands.  I like the way he plays football and he makes things look easy,” Emmanuel said.
He supports Power Dynamos and hopes to play for the Kitwe giants in future.
Internationally, Emmanuel idolises Real Madrid and Portugal national team striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
Future
Emmanuel wants to don Chelsea colours in future.  He says Chelsea is the best team in the world.
“I like the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and I want to play under those fans,” Emmanuel says.
Mapili Youth Soccer Academy chairman Dilan Mpongo described Emmanuel as the envy of the academy.
Mpongo said it took Emmanuel a lot of time to adapt to the academy’s way of life and when he did, he was unstoppable.
“He (Emmanuel) brought the street life.  He was using vulgar language on several occasions and it took him up to last year in July to change completely.
“After training we have a prayer session and moral teachings and through that procedure Emmanuel changed and became a good boy,” he says.
Mpongo says Emmanuel is skilful but tactically undisciplined.
“When the ball does not get to him he will drop to the midfield, collect it and he will run with it without passing to his teammates. But at times his selfishness results into goals and after all we all want to win,” he says.
Mpongo says in Emmanuel, Zambia has an asset.

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