Football Kenya Federation wants more women to venture into coaching.
FKF Mombasa county chair Lilian Nandudu said the graduation of Dalcie Samba, Velma Yambo and Damaris Njeri with CAF ‘D’ licence should inspire women in the coastal city to try their hand.
Women form less than five per cent of the 1,200 qualified coaches in Mombasa.
“We are happy to see more women join the coaching profession. We want to develop women’s football from the grassroots and we, therefore, need more female coaches,” Nandudu said.
The Mombasa trio were among 30 individuals who underwent the 10-day course.
“We are glad we have coaches from Mombasa, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Lamu, Tana River and Nairobi counties, even though the course was for Mombasa,” she said.
This, she noted, means football is a cross-cutting sport that brings people from different areas together.
Samba said she draws inspiration from Jackline Juma, who became the first-ever female to coach a men’s top-tier side.
She was hired by Talanta FC for the 2024/2025 season.
Samba is a former Harambee Starlets international and also played for Bandari Queens.
“We are few in Kenya. Girls need inspiration from people they can relate to. I want to inspire them to join the coaching profession,” she said.
Many teams do not have the motherly support and this can only change through an influx of women coaches.
“I have coached before, but never adults. I am a secondary school teacher by profession and mostly interact with students,” she said.
Njeri, from Nyandarua County, wants to create chances for shy talented girls.
She has been at Dasha FC in Murang’a where she is set to become the head coach.
“There are many girls who ignore their talents due to lack of support,” she said.
Bulla Sports head of business Farid Mohamed said: “We are here to support FKF and football in Mombasa and elsewhere to improve the game at all levels.”
He emphasised the need to combine sport and education.
“Education or knowledge is everything. Without education, no sport can develop. Football today is a source of employment and for one to be employable, they must be knowledgeable,” he said.
Bulla Sports will employ two of the 30 graduates in their two academies in Mombasa and Nairobi.
