A pitch of their own
- Lauren Billington-Drew
- Jul 13
- 4 min read
For years, our Football Project has given young people in Naguru and Namuwongo a safe place to play, learn, and grow. Until now, that space has mostly belonged to boys - in 2025, 64 boys took part in our weekly sessions across the two communities. This year, we're changing that. We've launched our first ever girls' football team, supported by the construction of brand-new changing rooms.
In this blog post, we'll explore some of the barriers girls in these communities face and how we're working to change the narrative.
The barriers
Across Uganda, only around one in three girls takes part in any form of organised sport (Watoto Wasoka, 2026). In the slums specifically, girls are routinely shut out of sport, leadership opportunities, and even schooling, held back by deep-seated gender norms, harassment, and a lack of safe places to play (Watoto Wasoka, 2026). Academic research backs this up. A 2025 study in Soccer & Society examined the growth of women's football across East Africa - including Uganda - through the lens of patriarchy theory, tracing how the sport's roots as a colonial, male-dominated pastime still shape who gets to play today (Chepyator-Thomson, 2025). Even as youth football expands nationally, cultural stigma and limited access to facilities are ongoing barriers that keep girls in Uganda off the pitch. (GSB Uganda, 2025).
For many girls in our communities, periods act as another barrier to these opportunities. Uganda's 2024 Auditor General's report found that 64% of girls miss school due to menstruation, with dropout rates climbing sharply after girls reach puberty (Monitor, 2026). The reality is that the cost of sanitary products is out of reach for many low-income families, forcing girls toward improvised alternatives that are uncomfortable and can cause health problems. Alongside this, the stigma around periods can break down girls' confidence and willingness to take part in school - and, by extension, in sport (Amref Health Africa, 2024).
Safety is the other barrier we can't ignore. A 2026 UN feature on girls and sport in Uganda linked the growing push for safer sporting spaces directly to the killing of Ugandan Olympic marathoner Rebecca Cheptegei in September 2024, whose life was sadly taken after achieving international success. Female athletes can become more vulnerable specifically because they challenge traditional gender roles. A woman's growing independence through sport can, in a society that still expects her to stay home, provoke backlash rather than pride.
All of this is a powerful reminder that giving girls a football pitch isn't enough on its own. It is our responsibility to create a genuinely safe space, with trained, safeguarding coaches and a supportive community.
The good news
Where girls have been given a genuine pathway into football, Uganda has seen what's possible. FIFA's "Live Your Goals" programme, rolled out in 2015, paired football training with life skills, health education, and mentorship - and in doing so, shifted parents' attitudes, convincing many that football could protect and empower their daughters rather than distract them (The Observer, 2026).
Through working in Kampala’s slums for the past 17 years, we have seen that football can change the trajectory of a child's life. Our new girls' team builds on years of success in Namuwongo and Naguru, bringing a proven approach to 32 girls for the first time. With trusted, safeguarding-trained volunteer coaches and a consistent weekly programme, we're extending the life-changing impact of football to those who have too often been excluded. Our new changing rooms mean girls have a private, dignified space of their own - addressing the barrier of menstrual stigma, one of the factors preventing so many girls from taking part in the first place.
Our female coach, Abbi*, not only develops the girls' skills but also nurtures their confidence, empowering them to believe in their abilities both on and off the pitch. As a mentor and positive role model, she provides encouragement, guidance and a trusted support system for every girl who takes part. She shared:
“I was born and raised in Naguru, and faced challenges from both my parents and the community while pursuing my passion for football. I would like to thank Kids Club Kampala for its support in helping me fulfil my dream of giving back to my community through football.”
With Abbi’s support, we are actively creating safer spaces for girls, breaking down gender norms, and empowering young women. The impact of Abbi's leadership can be seen in the lives of girls like Aaliyah*, age 13, whose experience shows how changing attitudes can unlock new opportunities:
“My parents never used to allow me to play football. They told me that sports should be for only boys. After coach Abbi spoke with them, I was finally allowed to play. I am now a midfielder on the KCK team, and my dream is to become a professional midfielder.”
*Names have been changed
What comes next?
The changing rooms are built. The girls' team is launched. All we need now is your support to keep it running: kit, equipment, transport to matches, and the everyday resources that make this project possible.
Every girl who laces up her boots this year in Naguru or Namuwongo is stepping onto a pitch that has never been open to most girls. Please consider making a donation today to help ensure these opportunities remain available. Together, we can give more girls the chance to discover what they're capable of.
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