Filda Bandas is one in all South Sudan’s few female footballers and the most efficient left-footed player at the national level, a skill she takes great satisfaction in and makes train of to her advantage. Alongside her teammates from the Yei Joint Stars, Filda is part of a unique generation of female athletes defying cultural norms in a nation where sports, esteem many various activities, remain predominantly male.
“I told myself, if I practice with boys, I can be much stronger than others,” Filda shared, positive to push boundaries in her sport.
Women in Yei and the broader Western Equatoria situation have persevered years of battle, with many shedding their properties, livelihoods, and family individuals. But as peace slowly returns, opportunities are emerging for females esteem Filda to reclaim their lives and pursue their passions.
“For my country, I want peace and love. I want my fellow girls to follow in my footsteps,” Filda said, encouraging parents to toughen their daughters in playing football despite traditional resistance.
No longer too prolonged ago, Filda stood out in an all-female football match organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, an match aimed at fostering cohesion among communities, especially the adolescence.
By day, Filda works as a gas station attendant to toughen her child and extended family. Balancing her job, motherhood, and her football career is now not any easy task, but her determination is spellbinding young females in Yei and past to guage that, with passion and hard work, any challenge can be overcome.
Filda’s yarn is a testament to the ability of perseverance and a rising motion for gender equality in South Sudan.
Additional sources • AP
