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Tendai Mtawarira is the new ambassador for Inspired Education Group SA

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Tendai ‘the Beast’ Mtawarira has joined the Inspired Education Group’s family of educators, students, management, and parents as their new ambassador. He is a well-known role model who will represent Reddam House and Reddford House schools in the Inspired Education Group, South Africa

Inspired Education Group is a co-educational, non-denominational, independent school group, with eight Reddam House schools located in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, and three Reddford House schools in Johannesburg. The group’s ethos focuses on four key pillars – academics, sport, culture, and giving back.

The group inspires youngsters from aged one to 18 to achieve their maximum potential through a premium and multi-faceted education. Ravi Nadasen, CEO of Inspired South Africa, says that at the heart of the school’s philosophy is a commitment to deliver a consistently fresh and progressive approach to education in an exciting and nurturing academic environment.

“In our search for a South African who could motivate our students to greatness, who could represent our schools and all that we stand for with professionalism and integrity, we recognised that the selection was big, but in Tendai Mtawarira we have a truly great fit,” says Nadasen. “His path to fame and rugby world cup glory in 2019 has not been an easy one. But his indomitable spirit, his passion for his team, his game and his country, and as he describes it, his hunger to do well, together with his compassion for people who sometimes struggle in life, placed him a cut above anyone else. Tendai is an authentic hero. Author Albert Schweitzer might have been referring to him when he said, ‘Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.’”

Nadasen adds, “We are extremely proud that Tendai has chosen to link his name and his reputation for excellence on and off the field, with our schools and with the importance we place on a well-rounded education that incorporates academic, cultural and sporting activities. At our Reddam and Reddford schools, individuality, talent and self-assurance are nurtured in a relaxed environment that encourages self-discipline.”

Tendai Mtawarira was born on 1 August 1985 in Zimbabwe and soon discovered his love of the game of rugby and his innate skills at playing it. He made his debut playing for South Africa at age 22 as prop, by which time the familiar cry of “Beast” was already reverberating around stadiums when he had the ball.

He became a South African citizen and today, with 117 caps, he is the most capped prop in South African history, and the third most capped Springbok of all time, behind Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana.

Tendai, who has a ready laugh and a strong sense of camaraderie with his team mates, relates the importance for him and the squad “to pitch up in a big way” in the matches leading up to the RWC final on 2 November 2019. “We were inspired to be more focused than we had ever been, we knew we were giving hope to our country back home – and we were ready to put everything on the line. We wanted that Web Ellis cup – and we knew that if we won it, we would have contributed to something much greater in our country, to hope and a belief in possibilities that might have seemed beyond the reach of so many of our fans.”

Tendai’s many gifts and skills, his commitment to life-long learning as he studies for his MBA, and his desire to make a positive difference in young people’s lives, will add a wealth of value to Inspired Education’s Reddam and Reddford House schools.

Tendai’s engagements and appearances on behalf of the schools launch this month and will include speaking engagements, interactions with media, staff and parents will be publicised as and when events take place.