From Player to Coach: How Football Grows Community Leaders
Agaba Ismail Jamiru went from playing football to coaching his community. His story shows what happens when young people are given the chance to learn, participate and lead.
Agaba Ismail Jamiru first joined Watoto Wasoka’s Football 4 WASH programme as a player in 2018. In 2019, he became a trainer and community coach.
As a coach, Ismail helps children connect what they learn during football sessions with situations they experience in everyday life. He also takes part in community activities, including clean-ups, and supports conversations around health and wellbeing.
Through these experiences, he has seen how issues such as poor waste disposal can affect the communities where children live and play.
Coach Ismail explains that dumping rubbish in trenches contributed to flooding and blocked drainage in his community. These conditions can affect children’s health and, in some cases, keep them away from activities such as football training.
Coaching has also given Ismail the responsibility to guide sessions, share knowledge, and encourage children to think about the role they can play in keeping themselves and their surroundings healthy.
His journey from player to coach shows what can happen when young people are given opportunities to participate, learn, and take on leadership roles in their communities.
Watch Coach Ismail share his experience in his own words:
