Top Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Pauline Atieno Owino is in pain and cursing football, a sport she thought could better her life.
Pauline, who is known in football circles as ‘Master’ for her heroics, says she can’t afford any basic needs despite her dedication to the game. She blames soccer officials and ‘oppressors’ whom she says have literary forced her out of the sport and killed her dream. She has however not notified the Football Kenya Federation of her intention to officially retire from the beautiful game.
“There is a lot of intimidation in Kenyan football and women are still afraid of speaking up because they still want to put on national team jerseys, but it reaches a point in life when you realize that you can’t eat jerseys and visas or passports. Responsibilities and age knocks so fast and lifespan of a woman in soccer is too short. They killed my dream because I can’t even inspire young girls since I have nothing to show that football is good,” Pauline, who lives in Mathare slums, told Opera News.
Harambee Starlets captain Wendy Achieng’ describes Pauline as a talented and hardworking footballer whose passion for the game is unmatched.
“We call her ‘Master’ because of her bravery and courage whenever she’s in goal. I have played alongside her for some time and I must admit she’s active, hardworking, competent, enthusiastic and professional. It’s sad to see her leave the game too soon because of the challenges and frustrations that we are facing in the game,” Wendy said.
Pauline, who solely depended on football to help her family, has undergone a lot of pain while trying to improve her life.
Her mother, a Kibanda fish monger, took a loan for a basic Teachers Training for her daughter, with high hopes that her football career would come in handy, but Pauline says life has turned into hell.
“The saddest part of my life, which has been embarrassing even during my schooling, is the fact that I can’t afford money to buy anything. I borrow everything including sanitary towels,” she told Opera News.
She added: “I’m supposed to complete my college study by July next year. I have a sister who is in Form 4. My dad is diabetic. My uncle passed on last week. I haven’t cleared the loan my mama took for the college.”
The same football she fell in love with at a tender age, strongly stabbed her at the back last year when she was with Harambee Starlets in Equatorial Guinea. The women team was competing for an Africa Women Cup of Nations qualification spot, and Pauline was the main goalkeeper. Back at home, her sick sister was undergoing surgery which required her financial help. ‘Master’ had no money despite being on national duty.
“My sister died after an operation last year. I didn’t even bid her farewell because I was away playing in Equatorial Guinea. We never had money at that time so we gave out our title deed for her body to be released and buried,” she narrates.
The national team head coach David Ouma, who has coached Pauline, for quite some time declined to talk to us on the subject.
She has now decided to bow out of football, putting an end to a journey she started at the age of eight at Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA).