Kinoni High School wins Brave Girls football in Kasese

Kasese, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | Kinoni High School from Rwampara in Mbarara District are the surprise winners of the 4th edition of the Brave Girls tournament held at the weekend.

A much-anticipated win for defending champions God Care Secondary School did not come to pass, as the well-coordinated girls’ team was knocked out at the semi-final stage by Kinoni High School from Rwampara in Mbarara District.

The final outcome took a different turn, with Kinoni High School emerging as the winner after a penalty shootout against Mbarara City Secondary School. Kinoni won the decisive encounter 2–0, with penalties scored by Nazziwa Sharifah, S.6, and Musimenta Moreen, S.5.

It was an extraordinary tournament that showcased different aspects of what it means to be a Brave Girl. The fourth edition of the Brave Girls Tournament was held in Kasese District and attracted more than 20 schools from Kampala, Mbarara and Kasese.

Every year, in a bid to empower young women and girls and create spaces where they can participate, express themselves and build confidence, Reach A Hand Africa organises the Brave Girls Tournament.

The tournament goes beyond the football game. It uses sport to engage girls and challenge gender stereotypes, particularly around a sport that has for a long time been largely dominated by men.

It was initiated in 2022 and has continued to expand its reach and impact. The first edition, held in 2023, brought together 10 schools and was hosted at Elite High School. In 2024, the tournament remained focused on the Greater Kampala area, bringing together 18 schools. In 2025, it expanded beyond the Central Region to Western Uganda, where 22 secondary schools from the Mbarara area participated.

The growth of the tournament demonstrates its widening reach and Reach A Hand Africa’s continued commitment to creating opportunities for girls to participate in sport and to use their voices to address issues affecting their lives.

The tournament took place at Nyakasanga Playground in Kasese District on 3th October 2026.

“We organise this tournament particularly to make sure that the girl child stays in school, and we are using sport to pass on this message to the girls from the participating schools, but also to those who are not participating today,” said Benson Muhindo, Director of Programmes at Reach A Hand Africa.

He said football, which has traditionally been dominated by men, provides an opportunity to challenge gender stereotypes while bringing communities together to address issues affecting young people.

He said the tournament also provides a platform to address sexual and gender-based violence, alcohol and substance abuse, and HIV among young people.

“We are also using this platform to address issues of sexual and gender-based violence, alcohol and substance abuse, which we are increasingly seeing among young people. Needless to say, HIV rates are also increasing among young people. So, we are using sport as a way of countering these negative influences in our communities,” he said.

He also highlighted the role of sport in supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of young people.

“So, as we conduct this tournament and as the girls continue to participate in sport, it is important because it supports their mental wellbeing, improves the quality of their sleep and contributes to their overall menstrual wellbeing,” he said.

Humphrey Nabimanya, CEO of Reach A Hand Africa, thanked the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) for supporting the tournament and contributing to the growth of girls’ participation in football.

The tournament also recognised outstanding performances from players and coaches. Muhindo Remmy from Kasese Secondary School was recognised as the Top Scorer with 6 goals, while Seguya Hanson was named Best Coach. Nazziwa Treasure, S.5, from Mbarara City High School, was recognised as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, and the Best Goalkeeper was Nimusiima Nice,  S.5, from Kinoni High School.

The winning team, Kinoni High School, received UGX 2,000,000 and the championship trophy, while the second-placed team, Kasese Secondary School, received UGX 500,000, and the first runner-up, Mbarara City High School, received UGX 1,000,000.

As the tournament continues to expand across Uganda, Reach A Hand Africa says it remains committed to using sport as a platform to empower girls and young women while promoting their health, wellbeing, participation and ability to realise their full potential.