Thank you to MYSA for sending us this report…
Every one of the now over 20,000 young MYSA players dreams of playing in Europe and over 20 MYSA players have made it so far. But do they dare dream that in their first European match they will score both goals for their team?
After arriving in Germany only a week ago, that is what happened with 22-year Doreen ‘Dodo’ Nabwire who scored both goals for Werder Bremen FC in their 2-2 draw with Hamburg FC at Weser Stadium in Bremen on Sunday afternoon.
It was an historic comeback draw for Werder Bremen as Hamburg was leading 2-0 at halftime. But, as described by a journalist at the match, Doreen then “scored in the 48th minute with a shot from ten meters and in the 52nd minute with a header to earn her team a 2-2 draw, cancelling the lead by Hamburg of 2-0 at halftime. These were the first goals by Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga! And their first point too. After the game, young German girls entered the pitch to catch autographs of ‘Dodo’.”
With her debut match Doreen also became the first female from Kenya and East Africa to play in Europe. But Doreen’s many friends are not so surprised as Doreen has been a top MYSA player, coach, AIDS peer educator and youth leader for over a decade.
Among her many other achievements, Doreen was a top striker on the MYSA team which won the StreetFootballWorld championship in Berlin during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In 2008 Doreen was also the only woman onstage during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification draw in Durban, South Africa. Appropriately but coincidentally, Doreen then drew the Kenya tag for Group 2 in Africa.
Last August Doreen also successfully completed the International High-Level Coaching Course at the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) Academy in Zeist, Holland.
An article on the Werder Bremen FC website said the following:
Werder Bremen can announce a very special acquisition: the Green-Whites will be supporting the young Kenyan Doreen Nabwire Omondi for one year starting immediately. The 22-year-old from Nairobi-Kariobangi will add to the team in the Social Management department as an ambassador from her local organisation, the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA), supplying her long-time experience of social work in the slums of Nairobi.
“Doreen has an unbelievable CV for someone her age. We are certain that she will enrich our work. On the one hand, she can support our projects Werder World Wide and SCORT and gain helpful experience. But she can also serve as an invaluable contact person and consultant in topics such as anti-discrimination and civil courage, looking at these areas from a very extreme point of view” said Werder Manager Klaus-Dieter Fischer.
Attached is an action photo featuring Doreen during the historic match.
Doreen is now both a pioneer and ambassador for the many talented female players in MYSA and Kenya who sadly do not get the support and recognition they deserve except during the special international girls football tournaments which MYSA has organized for the last five years.
Doreen’s breakthrough performance will encourage and inspire many other talented Kenyan girls who will hopefully now get more chances to test and develop their football talents here and abroad in the future.
Mthoko on 01.10.2009 12:10
Well done MYSA and Doreen,
Hope this opens doors for may more young girls around Africa to believe that they too can acheive what you have acheived.