Sethu FC’s Ugandan star Amnah Nababi uses IWL earnings for charity back home

CHENNAI: In an otherwise disappointing Indian Women’s League (IWL) campaign for Sethu FC, Amnah Nababi has been one of the few shining lights.

But it is not just the on-field performances – she is Sethu’s best performer with six goals and one assist in 10 appearances – that have made her stand out in her maiden IWL season. The Uganda international, in her constant fight against poverty back home, is using football as a powerful tool to perform social work and give back to her community.

The 26-year-old Amnah is allotting 20% of her IWL salary to “support” underprivileged children in her home district Luweero, situated about 70 kilometres from Kampala, where she is currently based. “Poverty is one thing that we are struggling with in Uganda. There are a lot of kids who do not have enough food at home, they do not have enough money to pay school fees. Their background is not really good. I pursued my education through scholarships, so I feel that I should go out there and support the kids from the money I receive through football,” said Amnah, who netted a brace in Sethu’s 3-1 victory over Odisha FC on Thursday.

“Whenever I get an opportunity, I share the money with them. Obviously, I have been using my Sethu salary for the cause. One of the things I am planning to do after the IWL season is to go back home and give them more,” she added.

Amnah, a capable operator in both attack and midfield, took the noble initiative a few years ago and now leads her “team” comprising about 30 children.

“I started doing this during Covid. I had to do personal training (in Luweero) and the kids would come and play football with me. I used to play with them because I was free. After that, I became busy with football and work (she worked at an NGO). I have a small team, I cannot call it an academy because it is not registered. The kids stay around my home in Luweero and they get together after school in the evenings. I try to support them with small things.”

Amnah relies on her friends when she is on duty away from home. “There are people who take care of the kids. Some of the kids who are now 15 or 16 years old take care of the younger ones. I have a lot of things to do when I go back home, many people are waiting for me. I hope to go there (Luweero) and spend time with the children,” Amnah said.

Amnah, with a heart of gold and plenty of footballing tricks up her sleeve, is “setting an example” both on and off the field.


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