A pioneering initiative in Sierra Leone is offering female inmates the opportunity to become certified football coaches. The Football for Reform programme, an eight-day course, provides participants with a Confederation of African Football (CAF) D licence—an entry-level coaching qualification.
“The course was great, more than the word great. I am so proud… with this coaching certificate, I want to be able to get a job,” said a participant from the Freetown Female Correctional Centre.
The certification enables the women to coach grassroots football upon release, supporting their reintegration into society and offering them a viable career path. Twenty-six inmates and five police officers from the facility took part in the training.
“It’s about using football for positive social change. Football is so much more than just 90 minutes on the pitch and this is an example of that,” said Isha Johansen, former president of the Sierra Leone Football Association.
Previously rolled out in Ghana and Liberia, the programme is set to expand across the continent. It has received support from leading figures in African women’s football, including former Uganda international Majidah Nantanda.
