THE BIRTH OF THE JEAN SSENINDE UNITED LTD

While personally, I have had such a humble opportunity to even play football at all as an African woman for the last 25 years, I’m looking out for millions of young girls around the world who still don’t have opportunities to play football. As a young girl I didn’t get the chance to be
coached by qualified coaches at a young age which somehow, I think if I had got the opportunity, I would have had a shot at becoming a world-class footballer I have always dreamt of becoming. When I left my country Uganda at the age of just 17 and moved to the UK, I did it
to give hope to the millions of young girls in my country that one day they are going to get opportunities to play professional football and indeed became world-renowned stars.

I have had numerous challenges playing football, even though I have had a lot of passion for what I’m doing, of course I have been told before that I’m not good enough, at some point I got racist comments. I really wanted to be good at something so that I can inspire young girls that they can succeed at football. moving to the UK opened my eyes, I got amazing opportunities to play for some of the best clubs in England such as London phoenix, Crystal palace, Queen’s park rangers etc, But somehow in my heart, I knew that I haven’t made it yet. Having learned so much while playing in the UK and My eyes were opened to the high standards of how women’s football should be even though 8 years back it wasn’t as it is now. It was so much bigger than I had ever seen or imagined. I wanted to help create opportunities for so many other young girls in my country to also play football that motivated me to start the annual Sseninde Women’s Development Cup in 2016 A women’s grassroots tournament with the aim of creating opportunities and giving a platform for young girls to play football. I also started the Sseninde Foundation to continue creating a platform for young girls to play football and help skill some with formal and non-formal skills education.

It is the work of the field that has opened my eyes , I have had opportunities to work with two incredible federations and of course I have had my fair share of seeing how various decision makers around the world Respect the women’s game. while in the USA there is a fight for equal pay, a young African woman’s story struggles to even speak up for anything as speaking up is regarded Very disrespectful to the elders and institutions in Society. Players speaking up for anything could lose their spots on national teams or even administrators will their jobs.

I don’t want any other young girl or woman in this world to ever go through what I had to go through, speaking up and losing everything or their place on a team or leaving walking away from amazing opportunities due to the lack of expression to fight and demand to raise the
standards for the women’s game to where they need to be.

It is for all those reasons and more that we have decided to launch the JEAN SSENINDE UNITED LTD. The company will have five focus branches with the first being a professional Women’s football Academy section with the U10s, U15s, U17s categories which we hope to
start activities starting 2022, A professional senior women’s senior team starting 2024, a football agency to help connect talented women players into the professional game, a consultancy to help advise various footballing institutions on effective women’s football policies, and sports events management to help organise competitions and sporting tournaments for young girls and women that will give them a platform to play the beautiful game. The JEAN SSENINDE UNITED LTD Company has also launched a four-year women’s football strategy today that will see young girls and women have opportunities to play football from communities, grassroots all the way to the professional setups and also have a chance to acquire life skills through education off the pitch. The professional women’s football academy and senior team will be nicknamed ‘The RED ANTS’ symbolising unity, strength and moving together in one direction to achieve a common goal.

“By starting this company am hoping that I will be able to through my actions, show decision makers, parents and everyone in powerful positions who are not able to support girls & women into the game the standard at which women’s football should be and the support we can offer to the young girls and women. Our Vision is to create opportunities for girls and women to play professional football and the creation of a pathway through the Jean Sseninde United Academy. We want to change the conversation and through our actions, set a standard of where women’s football should be. I don’t want any other young girl to go through what I went through as a little girl in search of opportunities to play football. We are coming to fill a gap in this world and serve others honestly with our hearts through a sport we love and what I believe can change the mentality and perceptions of the future generation. And through our actions set a standard of where Women’s football and football should be. We are going to create a community and a platform where all young girls and women can shine in a safe environment.”

Registration for all girls in categories starting U10, U15 and U17 sections is open, and details can be found on the company website.

UNDER THE JEAN SSENINDE UNITED LTD WILL BE.

• A GIRLS U10s, U15s, U17s PROFESSIONAL ACADEMY
• A PROFESSIONAL SENIOR WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM
• A FOOTBALL AGENCY
• A SPORTS EVENTS SECTION
• A WOMEN’S FOOTBALL CONSULTANCY
• THE SSENINDE FOUNDATION