The well-kept pitch at Nongo is only a temporary home. Most days, Bolonta trains on the dusty clay field of the Matoto district, far removed from the technical centre’s facilities. It’s here, in this modest setting, that the club has carved out its identity – transforming every available space into a ground for expression, growth, and defiance of gender inequality.
For Sega Diallo, the club’s mission extends far beyond football. “Football is a passion,” he says, “but it can’t be everything in life. What we want is for them to build solid foundations – the kind that lets them choose their future, whether that’s here or somewhere else. And that means protecting them not just physically, but from the pressures that erode their confidence and ambition.”
Recently, ten young players completed IT training through CinemArena, a project implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Others are learning foreign languages or beginning professional careers. These programmes respond to both protection and aspiration. Dreams of elsewhere are real and persistent.
That desire to leave can be dangerous. When girls feel judged or see no future at home, some take risks, following vague promises of football trials in Europe or work in the Middle East. Too often, those journeys end in exploitation or trafficking. Bolonta offers another path. Through football, education, and skills training, the club gives girls a reason to stay, showing that ambition can grow safely at home.
“Some girls want to leave, and I wonder if they’re running toward something or away from the constant questioning – the disapproval, the feeling that they’re doing something wrong just for wanting more,” Maténin says. “But here’s what I wish people understood: girls shouldn’t have to leave their own country just to feel like their dreams matter. That’s a failure we all share.”
Diallo nods in agreement. “We try to create a safe space. But the deeper issue is that girls need to know their ambitions are valid here, not just somewhere else. They shouldn’t have to choose between their dreams and belonging.”
The well-kept pitch at Nongo is only a temporary home. Most days, Bolonta trains on the dusty clay field of the Matoto district, far removed from the technical centre’s facilities. It’s here, in this modest setting, that the club has carved out its identity – transforming every available space into a ground for expression, growth, and defiance of gender inequality.
For Sega Diallo, the club’s mission extends far beyond football. “Football is a passion,” he says, “but it can’t be everything in life. What we want is for them to build solid foundations – the kind that lets them choose their future, whether that’s here or somewhere else. And that means protecting them not just physically, but from the pressures that erode their confidence and ambition.”
Recently, ten young players completed IT training through CinemArena, a project implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Others are learning foreign languages or beginning professional careers. These programmes respond to both protection and aspiration. Dreams of elsewhere are real and persistent.
That desire to leave can be dangerous. When girls feel judged or see no future at home, some take risks, following vague promises of football trials in Europe or work in the Middle East. Too often, those journeys end in exploitation or trafficking. Bolonta offers another path. Through football, education, and skills training, the club gives girls a reason to stay, showing that ambition can grow safely at home.
“Some girls want to leave, and I wonder if they’re running toward something or away from the constant questioning – the disapproval, the feeling that they’re doing something wrong just for wanting more,” Maténin says. “But here’s what I wish people understood: girls shouldn’t have to leave their own country just to feel like their dreams matter. That’s a failure we all share.”
Diallo nods in agreement. “We try to create a safe space. But the deeper issue is that girls need to know their ambitions are valid here, not just somewhere else. They shouldn’t have to choose between their dreams and belonging.”
