KOMBO CENTRL II: PURPOSE/AIM OF THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT TOURNAMENT (GET)

The Girls Empowerment Tournament (GET) is the brain-child of Kombo Central II Sport Committee under the dynamic leadership of veteran national team player, Alieu Badara Jarju. Kombo Central II Sport Committee consists of the villages of Kitty, Kassa Kunda, Kabekel, Marakissa, Darsilami, Dimbaya, Busura, Seyone, Penyem, Manduar, Jamewelly, Bakary Sambouya and Brikama Madina.

The tournament is organised to give girls opportunities to showcase their God-given talents like the boys in any field of endeavour especially football. Kombo Central II produced a lot of great footballers like Alieu Badara Jarju, Malang Jarju, Joseph Jabang, Lamin Sonko, Jiki Jarju, Andrew SK Jatta, Karalang Jarju, Sulayman Manneh, Mansour Jatta, Ebrima Jim Boy Kujabi among others who played in the then GFA League as well as the Under 17, Under 20, Under 23 and national team.

Cognizant of the fact that the genes that are in the boys are the same in the girls of the same family within our community, Central II Sport Committee believes that if girls are given the chance accorded to the boys on the field of play, a lot of talents would be discovered and harnessed for the greater good of the community, country and humanity in youth and sport development.

This was what gave birth to GET-Girls Empowerment Tournament. It is a way of empowering girls through football for holistic development. The tournament is organised and sponsored by the 6 months old Kombo Central II Sport Committee.

The opening took place on April 28, 2019 in Kitty graced by the President of Gambia Football Federation, Lamin Kabba Barjo, President of West Coast Region Sport Committee, Abdou Karim Sey, Co-ordinator of West Coast Region Women’s Football, Adama Jarju, Dr. Demba K. Darboe (now Human Resources Manager of GFF), and Ambassador Cherno Barra Touray, (who took the kick off in the first ever Kombo Central II organised tournament way back on July 22, 1989) , taking the kick off of the first ever Kombo Central II Girls Empowerment Tournament on April 28, 2019.

The maiden edition comprises Kitty, Manduar, Penyem, Busura, Marakissa, Kassa Kunda and Bakary Sambouya. The tournament is in the first round owing to a break during Ramadan. The idea is to come up with Kombo Central II teams that will compete in the GFF leagues 3, 2 and 1.

Our focus is sport and education as well as developmental football and holistic development of our youthful population. We hope to organise aged based category competitions in subsequent tournaments for Under 17, Under 20, Under 23 and Open tournaments for both male and female categories starting with this year’s nawettan.

There are plans for a Children’s Sport and Cultural Summer Camp as well as Annual Kombo Central II Veterans Reunion and International Sports and Cultural Festival in December.

By: Besenty