When the Fufa Women Elite League (FWEL) was launched in 2014, just about a hundred girls were playing football in the country.
Over the last 10 years, the numbers have grown to over 6,500 girls playing football and there are three tiers of the women’s football competition. Fufa president Moses Magogo says, such is the growth of the game that there are “more Ugandan girls in top tier leagues around the world than our boys.”
Viola Nambi is in Italy, Fauzia Najjemba in Russia, Sandra Nabweteme in Mexico, Aisha Nantongo and Shadia Nankya are in Egypt while Daphine Nyayenga, Phiona Nabbumba and Vanessa Edith Kalungi are in Denmark.
On Thursday, Finance Trust Bank joined the long queue of positives for the game as their managing director Annet Nakawunde announced they are “now extending our reach to women in football with a Shs2b investment for the next five years.”
“This is a very purposeful launch for us. This bank was established in 1984 and as we celebrate 40 years, we are looking out for opportunities where women can shine.
“It is important that we (women) are not left behind. We believe women can excel in sports and work,” Nakawunde said.
Fufa president Moses Magogo, said the breakdown “will be finalized in internal meetings”.
“But Shs100m will go to the women’s football bonanza, every year, like was the case last year. And Shs250m, per year, will be shared between the two leagues (FWEL, which is now the second tier, and Fufa Women Super League, which is the top division),” he said.
This is the first time a private entity is coming in to collectively sponsor the leagues, since they were established in 2015, and they will retain Shs50m per year for sponsorship activations.
“The only thing we can give back to Finance Trust is business. We believe that more volume of transactions will lead to more services and an increase in sponsorship.
“We want to divert all of our traffic as far as women’s football banking is concerned to this bank. We have a duty to mobilize our clubs, fans and players to associate with those who identify with us. In fact, the Fufa Sacco, which is worth about Shs2b has been transferred here,” Magogo here.
Nakawunde says “we are going to do more than offer sponsorship.
“We want to start with financial literacy. We want to train and mentor the players before extending our services, like loans, to them. We know that some of the players are educated and we have asked Fufa to profile those that can work with the bank. We want to be intentional and deliberate about how we grow with the sport,” she explained.
2 – Finance Trust Bank to bankroll women’s football to a tune of Shs2b for five years
5 – Deal to run for five years
50 – 50m for sponsorship activations per year
100 – Shs100m for the annual women’s football bonanza
250 – Women Super League and Elite League to share Shs250m per year
