Female football coach defies cultural norms in Kenya refugee camp
Garissa, July 21
Every time Janay Issack Adhan blows her whistle to begin a training session, she knows she is inspiring hundreds of young Somali refugees in northeastern Kenya.
A 41-year-old mother of 12 and a Somali refugee herself, Adhan lives in Dagahaley Refugee Camp, one of the camps that make up the sprawling Dadaab refugee complex in Garissa County.
By stepping into the world of football, Adhan has faced harsh criticism and resistance from some members of her community, who hold traditional views about women's participation in sports.
"I became a football coach five years ago when I realised that many young people in the refugee camp had no one to guide them. Many had fallen into drug and substance abuse, joined criminal gangs, or died while attempting to reach Europe," Adhan said during a recent interview.
Adhan said some community members questioned her commitment to football, expressing concerns based on their personal beliefs and traditional social expectations regarding women's roles.
On several occasions, some critics approached her family, including her elderly mother and husband, hoping they would persuade her to stop coaching, arguing that football is not an appropriate sport for women, reports Xinhua.
But Adhan remained focused on her mission of using sports to keep young people engaged and away from crime and substance abuse.
"I have no time to listen to negative criticism. My goal is to ensure young people have something meaningful to engage in until they can make informed decisions about their future," Adhan said.
After every tournament, she takes time to counsel her players, encouraging them to focus on building a better future rather than slipping into destructive habits.
Adhan said refugees in the camp face enormous hardships that neither the Kenyan government nor humanitarian agencies are fully able to address. These challenges have driven some young people to undertake dangerous journeys in search of better opportunities, with some losing their lives along the way.
Having arrived in Kenya in 1991, shortly after the Dadaab refugee complex was established, Adhan has witnessed these struggles firsthand.
She said life for refugees has become even more difficult in recent years, as international funding cuts have reduced food rations and strained other essential services.
"The number of young people has increased significantly, yet many remain unemployed, while funding cuts have forced humanitarian agencies to reduce food rations and other essential services, including access to water," Adhan said.
Despite these hardships, local youth continue to come together to form football teams, although they struggle to obtain basic equipment such as footballs and uniforms.
To nurture this talent, Adhan called on donors and organizations to support youth empowerment programs and invest in football pitches and other sports infrastructure across the Dadaab refugee complex.
Her commitment has earned the admiration and trust of many young players.
Liban Abdikadir, captain of Walalah FC, said the team has great confidence in Adhan, noting that she has guided them to at least three tournament titles since becoming coach.
He said this was a remarkable achievement for a mother of 12 who prepares her children for the day, then heads to the pitch every Friday and Saturday to train the team.
"Unlike many other teams in the refugee camp, Janay has led our team to Garissa to play a friendly match," Abdikadir told Xinhua.
Another player, Mohamed Ahmed, said Adhan regularly counsels team members against drug and substance abuse, an effort that has helped many young people avoid addiction.
Ahmed added that Adhan has been instrumental in attracting more youth to football by encouraging them and even using her own money to buy footballs and uniforms.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Respect to this brave lady. But I can't help thinking about the 12 children she has to look after. She's literally doing everything - cooking, cleaning, coaching, counseling. Meanwhile, many educated Indians with 2 kids complain about lack of time. Hats off! 🏆
It's heartbreaking to read about funding cuts reducing food rations in refugee camps. While we debate about budget allocations for sports in India, here's a woman using her own money to buy footballs for refugee kids. We need more grassroots heroes like Janay.
I'm impressed but also slightly critical here. The article says she left criticism from community members, but I wonder if she could have done more outreach with elders instead of ignoring them completely. In Indian villages too, some cultural resistance needs dialogue, not defiance. Still, a remarkable woman!
My heart goes out to these young refugees who face such bleak futures. Janay's approach of using football to give them purpose is brilliant. Reminds me of how some NGOs are using cricket to empower slum kids in Mumbai. Sport truly transcends boundaries! 🌍
Pakistani aunties be like "ladki ka football khelna theek nahi" but look at Janay - a Somali refugee in Kenya doing what she believes in. Tab to humein bhi sochna chahiye (then we should also think). We Indians need to stop this gender discrimination in sports now.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.