Foot soldier:Meet Doreen Nabwire Omondi,international football star in Europe

If her childhood dream had come true, Doreen Nabwire Omondi would be one of many lawyers in the country. However, this dream was thwarted by her football talent, which has made her the sole Kenyan female soccer star.

Born March 1987, in Ngomongo hamlet of Mathare slums, Doreen started playing soccer at the age of ten years, while a pupil at Valley Bridge Primary School in Huruma. She even participated in international tournaments.

Her soccer prowess earned her a chance at Maina Wanjigi Girls High in Eastleigh, a school then feted as girls’ soccer powerhouse. She recalls, “I was called to the national women team at 15 years, and my first game was against Ethiopia in which we won 4-1.”

After her KCSE in 2003, she played for Mathare Youths Sports Association (MYSA). Between 1999 and 2001, Doreen represented MYSA in Europe’s biggest youth tournament “Norway Cup”. Being the best player in the tournament made her stand out.

“It was this time, buoyed in football celebrity, that l started shifting my attention from Law to soccer,” says Doreen. She’s won tens of matches with her MYSA team, both at the local and international level.

Around that time, she joined Nairobi Aviation College to pursue a diploma in Tours, Travel and Cabin-crew. She was then employed by Phoenix Safaris, a tour company located at Village Market.

But Doreen quit the job just after one month, citing a rigid schedule that denied her time to practice and participate in football tournaments. “To this point, l had invested a lot in soccer, and no job was going to stand between me and football,” she explains.

She represented Kenya in the first ever Street Football World Cup in 2006, held in Berlin, Germany in which the Kenyan team emerged champions.

Her participation on international scene linked her to international clubs. In 2009, Germany club Werder Bremen, hired her. She later moved to FC Zwolle, a Division one side in the Dutch Women League a year later.

While playing in Holland, Doreen attended classes in UEFA C coaching license. She returned home in 2012, and joined Matuu Women FC as both coach and player. During this season, her experience helped the women’s team emerge winner in that league.

Doreen also doubled as the national coach for National Youth Talent Academy, a joint initiative between Unicef and the Ministry of Youths and Sports Association.

After Matuu collapsed - due to financial constraints - she went back to Germany and joined another club, FC KOLN in 2013 to date.

Unfortunately, last February, she got injured while playing and took some time off soccer. “I came back to nurse my injury, and will go back as soon as it heals,” says Doreen, who is inspired by players like Raul Gonzales, Louis Figo and Christiano Ronaldo.

She discloses that the height of her career came in 2007 when she was chosen as the Kenya’s Football For Hope Ambassador, and during the 2010 World Cup draw held in Durban South Africa. Doreen was the Kenyan representative among other world great icons among them South Africa former President Thabo Mbeki, FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Franz Bekenbauer, Abedi Pele Ayew, Marcel Dessaily, Lucas Radebe, Christian Karembeu and George Weah.

Although still scaling soccer heights, Doreen is proud to have reached where she is today. “It is not easy for African players to get a chance in Bundesliga. One must have real talent,” explains a jovial Doreen who speaks both English and German fluently.

Girls Unlimited

Doreen, like any girl born in humble background, faced challenges like prostitution, early marriage, petty crimes and drug abuse. However, she overcame all these and now many girls look up to her.

With this in mind, she resolved to reach out to other girls, educate and empower them. She founded Girls Unlimited, which uses sports such as football, tennis, volleyball and netball, to nurture and develop youths’ talents, and make them good people in the society.

She says Kenya has plenty of female soccer talent, but the federation is not keen in promoting and nurturing them. “As pioneer of women’s soccer and coach, my dream is to see other girls excel, even better than me,” she says.

The project targets girls in primary and secondary schools and the community. Doreen and her team teach them life skills, decision making, and confidence, in Eastlands, Huruma, Kibera, Korogocho, Mathare and also outside Nairobi, like Limuru, Oyugis and Siaya.

She explains decision-making would help girls know what is good for them. Good communication would ensure they share their problems with their mothers or colleagues and try to solve them together.

Doreen believes if girls learn to be confident in the field, they will definitely apply the same in their lives. To her,the initiative is about giving back to society. The initiative has no donors, therefore, she uses her own cash.

“It is not something easy to do. However, passion drives me,” says Doreen.

She regrets that, due to financial limitations, she cannot honour the many calls she receives from various places train girls.

Back to play

Doreen got an offer to settle in Germany but her love for the country and fellow girls wouldn’t allow her. She states that a lot of young girls look up to her for mentoring. It is the reason she frequently jets in the country to be with the girls and goes back to play.

She still gets offers from various clubs such as Hamburg, Allemania, Achen and Duisburg. “All these are good clubs and l would make my choices wisely,” she says.

Does she regret not pursuing her Law career? She explains: “I think mine was a case of deciding what to do earlier than getting exposed to other opportunities. I am satisfied with what l am currently doing. It is my passion. I think l wouldn’t have been happier with Law as l am with soccer and mentoring many of my colleagues.”