Refugee girl footballers shoot for stars in TICAD Cup

Political instability destabilizes lives and throws many off the normal social path of growth. In many refugee settlements, disease, starvation, loneliness and depression are rife and indeed, many refugees end up living the toughest of lives.

However, some come out to seize the few available opportunities and end up succeeding in life. Especially through sports.

Sport has offered an escape route to many refugees in Uganda and internationally, and keeps giving.

Former Newcastle United midfielder Gael Bigirimana was once a refugee in Uganda. Mary Nuba, the towering national netball team shooter based in England, came to Uganda as a result of the civil war in her native South Sudan. Internationally, superstars like Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga and Alphonso Davies were once refugees. 

To open doors for refugee girls in Uganda, for the second year running, Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), has identified women's football as one of the tools to help in promoting peaceful co-existence and mutual understanding between refugee settlements and their host communities, but also, most importantly, offer talented girls a chance to showcase their abilities and open doors for them through the beautiful game. 

Refugee community teams from debutants Rwamwanja (Kamwenge) and Pagirinya (Adjumani) had the chance to mix and mingle with established teams like Wakiso Hills, Kawempe Muslim, Jinja SS and last year's champions, King of Kings Secondary School for the annual TICAD Cup organized by Jica and its partners.

The tournament, held through the weekend at the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru, garnered support from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), UN Women, government and Fufa. 

Ayub Khalifa, the most successful women's football coach in Uganda, reckons that TICAD Cup provides a one of a kind platform to prospective footballers.

"Here we show them that they can be whatever they dream to be. Because football speaks one language and brings all people to eat from the same plate. In future, I am quite sure some of these girls will go far with football, thanks mainly to this tournament."

One player setting her eyes on the bigger picture is Annet Nibatambe, a Senior Three student at Ntenungi Secondary School, a UNHCR fully funded school in Rwamwanja.
Nibatambe doesn't remember the age at which she fled conflict in the DR Congo with her parents. She was a baby. Football brings a smile to her face and wants to give it her all.

When I told her that Luka Modric, one of the best footballers in the world, was once a refugee, she looked lost. Because she doesn't know who Modric is. Never watched him play on TV. But after breaking down his exploits, her eyes lit up and she said: "I want to play and be like that man."

"I am happy that I can play and chase my dream. I have enjoyed this football tournament and I will work hard to become a great footballer," she asserts. 

When the football got rolling, it was evident that the gulf between the refugee teams and their opponents is still wide.
Kawempe emerged winners, beating Jinja SS 5-4 on penalties in the final after a barren draw.

But in the end, all participants were winners, at least, on humanitarian and social grounds.