In order to improve women’s standing in society and to boost their self-confidence in 1997 we took the initiative to encourage women’s soccer. It took us almost 2 years to convince mothers to allow their daughters to play, but our persistence led to the formation of the first ever women’s soccer team in Rwanda. In 2001 we eventually founded the Association of Kigali Women’s Footballers (AKWOF). From the beginning our organization was supported by the President of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Paul Kagame and the local authorities of Kigali, which helped us with ideas, moral support and advocacy