As Safaricom Chapa Dimba heats up in Western Kenya, the structure of the tournaments is taking shape as winners emerge and move up to higher levels of the competition. As things stand, we have already seen Ebwali Boys win 4/0 over Bunyore Assassins in county level while Madira Assassins beat Maroon Queens 1/0.
Winning teams each took home Ksh.75,000/- and runners-up teams Ksh.30,000/- each. Best goalkeeper and top scorer- both boy and girl got Ksh.10,000/- each while the most valuable player walked away with Ksh.10,000/- and an additional TVET scholarship from Safaricom Foundation.
We got a chance to speak to Sharon Vulimu, a teacher at Madira Secondary School and Team Lead for Madira Assassins girls football team whose players are mostly students of the school. The team which was established in 2018 in Vihiga county has quite a number of accomplishments already, top among them being a 4/1 win against Kibera Soccer Ladies in the FKF Women Division 1 league that played off in Nakuru over the weekend.
This tournament stood out not only for the win, but also for the determination and resilience demonstrated by the girls who had played Safaricom Chapa Dimba in Mumboha stadium just a day earlier. They then had to travel to Nakuru on Sunday and play on the same day.
Madira Assassins is also very proud of their participation in Chapa Dimba, more so because this is the first time they were trying it out and they have already emerged winners at county finals. When Chapa Dimba’s call out came, the team was eager to register since they are already well-established and being a countrywide tournament, Chapa Dimba was coming to their doorstep.
Sharon, a very avid football lover has great insights into girls’ football and would like to encourage more of them to take up football despite the traditional perception of it being a boy’s game. To all curious and talented girls, she says take up the sport since it pays. Through tournament prize money for instance, many families have been able to afford school fees for their children. A football career slows down early in life, so the earlier young players embrace it the better.
How are parents taking it when their girls try out football?
They are actually receptive. Gone are the days when parents pushed education and education alone and shunned extra curriculum activities which are equally important in development. In any case, the motto for Madira Assassins for instance is Study And Play, so when the team is scouting, they are able to encourage parents that education won’t be compromised.
Sharon says that the impact of Safaricom Chapa Dimba in the area is immense since football is a popular sport that is already existing in the grassroots. The scouting and nurturing is therefore something she is very grateful to Safaricom about and appreciative to have her team aboard. She hopes that over time, Safaricom will invest in other sports as well, and also in talent younger than 16 years.
Madira Assassins is also home to Valerie Nekesa, a 16-year-old whose football career is growing visibly fast. In the next article in this series, we will have an exclusive look at this girl’s prowess in the sport, and the wins that are coming with it.
Safaricom Chapa Dimba’s objective is to establish a well-organized platform where scouts and coaches can identify untapped talent and establish development pipelines for the various football leagues in Kenya. Simultaneously, the initiative also intends to train a group of 250 coaches. The focal point of this football tournament is the age group of 16 to 20 years, catering to the aspirations of young individuals.
