Archford Manduvi's Dream

Imagine not knowing your dad, losing your mom at 9 years old, losing your home to “squatters,” playing your passion sport shoeless, sleeping in trees to avoid political brutalizing, and trying to survive by selling handbags for the wage of $0.75 cents a day…and then not get paid. These are just a few of the challenges Archford Manduvi of Zimbabwe has faced. Today though is a different kind of day for Archford.

My and Archford’s dreams collided during a trip to Zimbabwe years ago. Since then, it has been a roller coaster of emotions between his trying to find a way to survive in Zimbabwe and getting him to the states to put his passion, skills, and talent at soccer into play.

The struggle and obstacles are not over, but his dream and one of mine, is becoming a true reality. Archford is scheduled to arrive in the USA on July 23rd and is slated to start school and play soccer at York College this fall. He can’t do this alone. We need you.

This fundraiser is to help support him as he comes to the states, providing tuition to pay for York College (in Nebraska) and the many items needed while at school: books, boarding, laptop, cell phone, monthly food stipend, etc. We need more than $20,000. Will you donate 5.00? Every dollar raised is one dollar closer.

For more of Archford’s story, look below. 24-year-old Archford will arrive with all of his possessions that fit in a single carry-on bag, in less than 2 weeks to fulfill a dream and begin another.

If you are interested in donating more and would like to have it as a tax-deductible gift, you can go to

https://theamoscharitablefoundation.org and donate there and earmark as ZOP college scholarship.

• A few years back we brought the soccer community together in Wichita, Kansas to help raise support and awareness for the Zimbabwe Orphan Program (ZOP) and the increasingly awful number of orphans in the beautiful country of Zimbabwe. Archford was highlighted for his talent and abilities in the beautiful game as well as his leadership.

An interview was done with Archford the last time I saw him. Check out the video...

1:16... #SergioRamos

Read more about Archford's story below:

Meet Archford Manduvi. Archford is a dedicated student and exceptionally talented soccer player from Zimbabwe. This fundraiser is to help support him as he comes over to the United States to attend college. The funds will go to tuition at York College in Nebraska as well as any items needed for school such as a laptop, school supplies, cell phone, and a monthly stipend for food.

If you met Archford, you would not have any idea the number of tragedies he has faced at a young age. He has an infectious smile that radiates hope. Little would you know that at 9-years old, he became an orphan after his mother passed away. He never knew his father and his life consisted of walking to a pitch to play soccer with no shoes. I (Chris Lemons) met him when he was 17 years old after becoming the orphan director for ZOP (the Zimbabwe Orphan Program). My wife and I traveled to Zimbabwe to meet our orphan directors as well as the ZOP students that our program supported. One of my other great loves in this life is soccer, so every trip to Zim, I would deliver gear and work with the Nhowe Mission soccer coaches in helping them develop a soccer academy from youth all the way up to adults. During our first training session, there was one player who stood out to me out of the 30+ that attended to the training. I asked the coaches about the student who was obviously extraordinarily gifted and they said, “Oh yeah, that’s our captain, his name is Archford.” I was in awe watching him and I immediately had thoughts of what college I could get him to so he could play ball. These kids came from all different backgrounds and several of the soccer players came from Harare and other parts of northern and eastern Zimbabwe. Little did I know that what I would soon found out would set both Archford and me down an emotional roller coaster in getting him over here.

Two hours after our training session with the Nhowe soccer team, I met with the secondary school ZOP students. These students are orphaned and destitute, for a variety of reasons, and our organization helps support them on a monthly basis with school fees, clothing, and food. These children have been dealt a hand in life that warranted little hope. Soon, I would recognize a face. I went over and introduced myself to one of the older students and he said, “Yes I know who you are, coach. My name is Archford Manduvi.” I was speechless. I pulled my wife aside and told her what had happened… and in a brief moment shared my dream for him. This was 2014.

Fast forward a few years. Archford graduated in 2018 from Nhowe Mission and we began the long and arduous search for a university. He finished his career at Nhowe being the captain of three teams, the high school team, U21, and Full team. He moved back to Harare with a distant relative. He had to fend for himself. All he had was a roof over his head. He was offered a professional contract in Harare and turned it down because I advised him to not sign as he would void any chances to play college soccer. Soon he found himself playing on an amateur team, excelling, but with no ability to make any money. He ended up getting a job selling handbags on the streets of Harare during the week so he could play on the weekend and at least have a meal a day. Little did he know that his boss, who promised 5 bond notes (around $0.75 US) a day told him he couldn’t pay him after he had worked for an entire month. I received a message that said, “What do I do? I have nothing… how can I survive?” I was heartbroken! I was supposed to get him to the US to play the game that we both love and now he is starving. We had a generous family in our church step in and give some money to help him so he wouldn’t go hungry. While we waited, he decided to continue to play and train but also got accepted to school there at the University of Zimbabwe.

Shortly after starting at the University of Zimbabwe, he got some bad news. His grandmother passed away. The one who saved him at age 9 was now gone. He mourned her passing and went back for her funeral. He knew he would also have to say goodbye to her home during that trip as once he went back to school and playing ball in Harare, it would most likely be overtaken by squatters and would no longer be in his family. During Christmas break in 2019, he went back to his relatives’ home, but little did he know that he would spend a week in an unfamiliar place, just so he could survive. Zimbabwe fell into political unrest and police went around dragged people out of their homes and beat them, with many losing their life. Archford was in the middle of it. The neighbors and people down the street began to be dragged out of their homes, so he ran! He spent a week sleeping in trees at night and then ran and hid all day to keep from being beaten. He did nothing wrong, just lived in an area that was being politically brutalized.

The coach at York College, a small private university in Nebraska, is willing to give him a chance despite never seeing him play. It is no small coincidence that this is the same school where my older brother attended until his life and soccer career were tragically cut short due to an accident in a freak ice storm. Archford and I both got to work on the arduous process and paperwork. Through early 2020, we were getting things ready for the Fall of 2020, and then COVID hit. We all know how that went. Embassy closings, flights canceled, schools closed. So, here we were, a school ready to give him a chance, a team needing his leadership and expertise with a ball, and no way of getting him here. Yet through it all, he never lost hope! He said to me one morning when I was feeling particularly discouraged, “It’s ok, God has this in His hands.”

For months we messaged the US embassy in Harare to get a visa application interview. After 9 months of contacting the embassy and being told no or wait, he finally got his interview. However, it was almost unheard of to get a visa on the first or second try, so we anticipated several months before getting a visa. I received a message after his interview and his visa was approved. March 2021, we were all set. Here we are, just under two weeks of his arrival. This will be the first time on a plane, the first time in a different country, and the first time away from all he has known. Nevertheless, he is not only optimistic but hopeful about this extraordinary opportunity.

This fundraiser will specifically take care of his first year of school tuition, books, and boarding. It will also aid in him getting a laptop, cell phone, and things needed in his dorm. There will also be a monthly stipend for food. The need will most likely go beyond $20K, but we are also hoping for more scholarship opportunities in the future years to come.

Check out these videos and pictures of Archford. This page will be updated with his arrival as well as any updates in regard to financial progress and future needs. In about a week, Archford, now 24-years old, will pack his single carry-on bag containing all his earthly possessions, and fly halfway across the world to fulfill a dream… or to begin another!