Teresa Calleb: "I like championing our players’ rights"

My football journey began in school, but I was not able to join a club until I completed high school in 2007. One day I met a former schoolmate who took me to Coastal Queens. I played barefoot since I did not have proper playing kits, and I remember the excitement. I was signed immediately and my football career took off.

After one season I joined a top club: Spedag FC. Soon after I was called up to the Kenya Under-20 national team ahead of World Cup qualifiers and I was also selected to join the National Youth Talent Academy (NYTA) which was a project run by the Ministry of Sports in partnership with UNICEF.

It was going great, but my family was worried if I would be able to strike a balance between education and football. I studied journalism and started writing sports articles while playing to earn extra income.

I was a consistent member of Kenya's senior national team from 2009 to 2016, except for 2013 when I took a maternity break. I resumed towards the end of 2014. During that period, I was employed both as a digital journalist and a data clerk at a security firm, which required a high level of discipline.

My football career might not have involved playing professionally away from the domestic league, but it acted as a stepping stone to acquiring numerous opportunities – both capacity-building activities and employment opportunities.

I have always been the player who leads on and off the field. I captained all teams I played for, including the national team. I may not have been the most talented, but I was always the most industrious. This earned me the nickname “Puyol” from my coach.

What stood out in how I relate with my team-mates, is that they always counted on me to voice our concerns, and to give them group counselling since I am a trained psychologist.

My coach once told me to stop being an activist and just play football. However hard I tried, my mouth either offered a solution or got me in trouble; be it suggestions on how we can be motivated or raising concerns on what should be improved.

I liked championing our rights and encouraging my team-mates to take courses or even invest their allowances in a business while we were still active, after I realised women's football was in its developmental stage in our country and it would take a while to fully rely on it in terms of proper earnings.

I joined player union KEFWA in 2015. I am the Communications Manager and the Head of Women's Football. I play both roles effortlessly because I am a trained Communications Development expert, and I have experience in women's football matters.

I have also been involved in other organisations such as the German Corporation Sport for Development in Africa, and NGOs like Moving The Goalposts where I gained experience in strategic outcomes project management.

Joining the FIFPRO Africa board was a blessing and a dream come true. When this opportunity presented itself, I was thrilled because I have always yearned to serve especially at a capacity that goes beyond our borders.

This presents an opportunity for growth and learning, besides being able to share my ideas and implementing my assigned roles which I am happy to undertake. I believe the experience and expertise I have gathered over the years dealing with both genders will offer a springboard that will enable me to perform assigned tasks with ease.

It will also allow me to identify gaps and opportunities that can be explored in women's football in Africa. I have realised that players’ literacy is still below par.

Some would be playing professional and not get salaries for months, but they do not have a clue where to seek legal representation without incurring huge costs for instance. I see more women embracing the idea of joining unions if we can continue with awareness creation and sensitisation programs.