As far back as she can remember, Adama has always loved playing football and dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. A dream that came true at the age of 22. Indeed, Adama moved to France in 2021 after she signed a contract with the team of Grenoble where she is currently playing.
During her stay at the SOS Children’s Village Bakoteh, Adama loved discussing football with her twin sister, also a football player, and other siblings in her house during her free time.
“Hearing my brothers and sisters calling us The Gambia finest baller makes us happy,” remembers Awa, Adama’s twin.
Adama pushes hard for her to achieve her dream. Every afternoon, after finishing school, she goes for training at a local stadium. She later joined a local football club where she played for some years.
At the football club, she performed very well, which allowed her to be spotted by the Gambian Football Federation and to join the national women’s football team. And what a feat: she has won several trophies, such as the best female footballer of the year in four 4 consecutive years. Adama and her twin sister Awa, also a member of the team, led the Gambian Women’s National team to the FIFA under-20 tournament in Azerbaijan and other international and regional tournaments.
In 2022, Adama will be playing for The Gambia in the qualifier round for the women’s world cup. Both Adama and Awa are hoping to get The Gambia to qualify for the tournament.
Adama and her sister Awa, cannot yet live on their soccer income. They, therefore, had the idea, together with their brother Bakary, to engage in catering and are currently running the canteen at the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Technical Senior Secondary School in Bakoteh, serving meals to some over 200 students.
Like any parent, we don’t believe that a relationship ends with a child on their 18th birthday. We stand by the young people for their transition to adulthood. SOS Children’s Villages attaches great importance to ensuring that the young people entrusted to its care are well prepared for the social and economic realities of their world and are empowered to develop their perspectives in life.