Every evening, at 7pm Aminata (19) and Fatoumata (21) can be found on the community sports field in Doumanzana, a neighbourhood in Bamako (Mali). Young people are running around, playing football and games. The sisters subtly connect all kinds of life skills classes with their sports activities, such as learning to have respect for one another – which is really catching on.
“We started off in March 2019 with a small group of only five youths. Now, the whole community comes to pick me up if I am not on the field by seven.”
Starting as a female coach was not easy
It did not come easily, tells Fatoumata: ‘In the beginning, it was not easy to convince parents to let their children be outside for two hours. Parents felt that their children would use the sports activities as a cover to do other things that were not allowed at home. This caused many frustrations when we were starting off.” Did they talk to the parents? Aminata: ‘No, not really. We showed them, through the activities that we organised and the results we achieved with it,” like the positive and healthy activities the kids joined, and also an increased social cohesion among the youth and respect between youth and elders.
Also, starting as a female coach was not easy in the beginning. “When we started our activities, the girls were pushed to the second plan. The boys were in control of everything. I wondered why that was and took it as a goal to become at least as good as they were. That was actually pretty doable, to be honest. And whether they like it or not, now I decide what happens!” That last remark leads to a joint cheer.
“My mother has encouraged me greatly. She herself also played basketball for some time,” Aminata recalls. “My main sport is football.” Aminata and Fatoumata both are in higher education; the eldest sister is attending a degree in informatics and management, whereas the youngest is doing a corporate management degree.
Becoming a community leader
The sisters have been trained by ISA, and continue to get support with training and advice. Do they feel they have grown over the past years? Fatoumata says: “Absolutely. I noticed during ISA’s training that there was much room for everyone to be heard. I valued that a lot. I used to find it very difficult to speak in public. I have advanced greatly in that. The same goes for connecting with people you do not know. That we have learned also, as well as how to motivate people for your activity.”
Aminata has had a similar development, towards more self-confidence. “I used to get discouraged very easily. All anyone had to say was what I was doing wrong, and I would drop everything. Now, when I hear such a remark, I wonder why someone says that. And then I look for a way to improve it.”
Have they themselves received more respect thanks to their work? Fatoumata is certain. “Definitely. This is especially due to us showing a great dedication, which is highly appreciated. But I have also seen that our sports activities help to get things done, because you retain the attention of the youth. It works better than just speaking towards them. You can have fun with sports and play and at the same time pass on important information – that then sticks around better.”
“What we want is for our community to develop. And look at my sister, because of what we achieved, she is now seen as a community leader!”
Read the story in Dutch
(This story is edited from the original version created in the Frame Voice Report project in 2020)
