Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Farai Shawn Matiashe

Packing a punch: the true story behind the first Zimbabwean film to qualify for Oscars

A small boy wearing a padded helmet and boxing gloves listens to instruction.
Sikhanyiso Ngwenya as Rise in the short film, which was inspired by the real-life story of Tobias Mupfuti. Photograph: Jacques Naudé/RISE

Tobias Mupfuti was eight years old when he found himself homeless and living on the streets of Victoria Falls after his father had rejected him and his mother was too poor to feed or clothe him or send him to school. He survived on food handouts from tourists shopping in the Zimbabwean resort town.

Four years later, sick of being bullied and threatened, he asked a boxing coach to teach him the sport for self-defence – a decision that changed his life for ever.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.