UKWISHAKA Zawadi

I am a girl born into a family of four children, but our hearts are united as if we were many more.

I am the firstborn among my mother’s children, the one entrusted with carrying the dreams of my siblings. I grew up as a girl who loved to run — racing through trees, sprinting like someone chased by the wind. Something was always flowing in my blood: the gift of running and the desire to win.

In 2018, I stepped onto a football field for the first time. Before then, I was an athletics runner, my strides going far beyond those who stayed in their lanes. But the day I joined the White Star academy, I felt my heart change — it was no longer the heart of an athletics girl; it became the heart of a footballer.

After completing my training at White Star, a new family took my hand — Kamonyi WFC. That is where my football journey grew stronger, where my determination deepened. And in 2020–2021, I was trusted and called up to the National Team U20. The day I sang my country’s anthem, I knew that a strong person stands firm in their dreams.

After many months of effort and challenge, I sought to explore new opportunities, so in 2021, I moved to Fatima WFC. I played there with hope, but the promises we had agreed on — school, player necessities — were never fulfilled.

“Some of the things a girl or a young woman should be able to rely on, to keep her pride in playing football, depend on a club respecting its contracts. Sadly, today, some teams strip players like her of what they deserve, despite building stories around them. They leave without being given what was promised.”

That did not stop me. I continued my journey with Rambura WFC, where my heart rebuilt itself like a bird returning to the sky after the rain.

After the championship break, I returned to U17 competitions, and White Star opened another door for me. In a match held in Butare against APR WFC U17, my moment of opportunity arrived. APR WFC officials approached me like someone offering shade to a traveler in the scorching sun. They told me they loved my style of play and invited me for trials. Because of that trust and opportunity, I passed.

That day, I was filled with the warmth of love from my parents — especially my father, who always pushed me forward with courage, and my mother, who finally understood that my talent was not child’s play but a path for my life.

I continued training while waiting to officially join APR WFC. I couldn’t start the championship with the others due to paperwork, but in the third match, I finally got the chance to show my talent.

In the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 Second Division seasons, I fought for my team with everything in me. My three goals were the keys that opened the door to hope and helped us rise to the Premier Division.

I continued playing for APR WFC in 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, and then, in November, I received the great honor of being called to the Senior National Team.

What I struggled with before becoming a footballer:

“My mother did not want it. She knew how some players behave and feared that the path I was running toward belonged to people without dignity. But trust defeats fear. My commitment showed her that my talent was serious, that my dreams carried pride. Now she understands me more than anyone else.”

I want to give special thanks to the late Nzabonimpa Anne — may God grant her eternal rest — and to Byabuze Gatibito. Gatibito was not only a president to me; he was a parent, a protector, and a pillar in my journey.

My message to fellow girls

To girls, especially those who play football: BE BRAVE.

Fear the things that harm you, but don’t fear pursuing your dreams. You have the right to feel like professionals — football is not just for fun.

To parents:

Please understand your children. Girls have talent just like boys. Supporting them is the foundation of progress.

And to the leaders of women’s football in Rwanda:

Continue speaking for us, protecting us, and showing the world that we, too, have our rightful place in global football.

Written by:  MIGISHA Janviére.