Dorothy Adur, the current Siaya Branch Women Representative, is on a mission to continue transforming women’s football in the county as she seeks reelection for a second term.
Adur is focused on nurturing young talent, addressing critical challenges facing young female players, and advancing structural changes that would benefit both players and clubs.
Also Read: Benjamin Mendy wins part of case with Man City
In an exclusive interview with Pepeta, Adur says her journey in promoting women’s football began with establishing the Siaya County League. “I started the county league where we had 14 teams, one for each sub-county because we didn’t have anything for women’s football in Siaya,” she shared.
With no official platforms or structured opportunities available for women in football, her leadership was crucial in creating a league from the ground up, offering a platform for women to showcase their talents and develop their skills.
If re-elected, one of her primary goals is to introduce an Under-15 league that will provide young talents with a pathway into organized football.
“When reelected, I want to introduce the U15 league to accommodate young talents,” she said. This initiative, according to her, aims to offer early exposure for young girls to competitive football, creating a sustainable talent pipeline within the county.
Also Read: John Ochieng; Burning my way to greatness
In addition, Adur plans to launch coaching workshops tailored specifically for women’s football. “I want to come up with workshops to train our coaches on how to handle the ladies,” she explained. These training programs would be vital for equipping coaches with the skills necessary to work with young female athletes, ensuring they are supported and encouraged to excel in the sport.
Another significant challenge Adur seeks to address is the issue of early marriages, which has affected women’s football in the region. Early marriages not only force young, talented players to step away from their promising paths in sports but also put them in vulnerable situations.
A related issue has been the lack of access to sanitary products, which has led some girls to desperate measures just to secure necessities. “We lose young talented players through early marriages, and some involve themselves in uncalled-for activities to get sanitary towels,” Adur lamented. To combat this, she plans to partner with local institutions to secure sanitary products for players, helping to keep them focused on football and education.
Reflecting on her previous term, Adur acknowledges that the work has been demanding. “It’s been a big task working alone for the past season to improve our ladies’ football in the county,” she said. Yet, her efforts are yielding results, with teams from the Siaya County League now being promoted; testament to her dedication and the league’s impact.
Looking ahead, she also hopes to establish mechanisms for clubs to benefit financially when players are transferred, ensuring that clubs are compensated rather than allowing players to leave for free. “We also plan to come up with a standardized way for players to generate money for the club when sold, not moving for free,” she added. This structural change could provide clubs with much-needed revenue and promote growth and sustainability within the league.
Dorothy Adur’s leadership has already brought significant change to women’s football in Siaya County. Her vision for the future reflects a commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for women and girls in sports, addressing critical social issues, and building a foundation for long-term growth and success in women’s football.
Also Read: Kariobangi Sharks attacker eyeing national team call up
