Kinoni Excessive Faculty have gained the fourth version of the Courageous Women Match after defeating Mbarara Metropolis Excessive Faculty on penalties within the remaining at Nyakasanga Playground in Kasese.
The Rwampara-based college prevailed 2-0 within the decisive shootout, with Nazziwa Sharifah and Musimenta Moreen changing their penalties to safe the championship.
Kinoni’s triumph got here after a match that attracted greater than 20 secondary faculties from Kampala, Mbarara and Kasese, with the groups competing in a contest geared toward selling ladies’ participation in soccer and empowering younger ladies.
Defending champions God Care Secondary Faculty had been among the many groups anticipated to problem for the title however their marketing campaign ended on the semi-final stage.
FUFA referee Medress Mbambu had backed God Care to retain the trophy throughout a pre-final interview, pointing to their coordination and communication as key strengths. Nevertheless, Kinoni went on to upset the defending champions’ bid earlier than finishing their very own run to the title.
The Courageous Women Match, organised yearly by Attain A Hand Africa, makes use of soccer as a platform to encourage ladies to stay at school, construct confidence and problem gender stereotypes surrounding ladies’s participation in sport.
The initiative was launched in 2022, with the inaugural match bringing collectively 10 faculties at Elite Excessive Faculty in 2023. The 2024 version featured 18 faculties from the Higher Kampala space earlier than the match expanded to Western Uganda in 2025, attracting 22 secondary faculties from the Mbarara space.
This yr’s version was staged in Kasese on October 3, persevering with the match’s growth past the Central Area.
Based on Attain A Hand Africa Director of Programmes Benson Muhindo, the match is designed to make use of sport to speak vital messages to younger folks.
“We organise this match notably to ensure that the lady little one stays at school, and we’re utilizing sport to move on this message to the women from the taking part faculties, but additionally to those that usually are not taking part at present,” Muhindo stated.
He added that soccer offers an avenue for addressing among the challenges affecting younger folks, together with sexual and gender-based violence, alcohol and substance abuse and HIV.
“We’re additionally utilizing this platform to deal with problems with sexual and gender-based violence, alcohol and substance abuse, which we’re more and more seeing amongst younger folks. For sure, HIV charges are additionally rising amongst younger folks. So, we’re utilizing sport as a means of countering these unfavourable influences in our communities,” he added.
Muhindo additionally highlighted the broader advantages of sport to women, together with its contribution to psychological wellbeing, sleep and menstrual wellbeing.
Attain A Hand Africa CEO Humphrey Nabimanya, in the meantime, thanked the Federation of Uganda Soccer Associations (FUFA) for supporting the match and contributing to the expansion of ladies’ soccer.
A number of particular person awards had been additionally handed out following the match.
Kasese Secondary Faculty’s Muhindo Remmy completed as the highest scorer with six targets, whereas Seguya Hanson was named Greatest Coach.
Mbarara Metropolis Excessive Faculty’s Nazziwa Treasure, a Senior 5 pupil, claimed the Most Beneficial Participant award, whereas Kinoni Excessive Faculty goalkeeper Nimusiima Good, additionally in Senior 5, was named Greatest Goalkeeper.
Kinoni Excessive Faculty acquired UGX 2 million and the championship trophy for successful the match.
Mbarara Metropolis Excessive Faculty took dwelling UGX 1 million, whereas Kasese Secondary Faculty acquired UGX 500,000.
The match’s continued development displays Attain A Hand Africa’s efforts to create extra alternatives for ladies to take part in sport whereas utilizing soccer to advertise schooling, well being, confidence and gender equality.
For Kinoni Excessive Faculty, nevertheless, the fourth version might be remembered above all for a historic championship victory in Kasese.
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