Sarah Angwech, age 24
Although Sarah was born in Gulu, she lived in Kampala for 12 years until her father’s death forced her family to move back to Gulu. Sarah’s mother also died of AIDS, leaving Sarah and her siblings to take care of themselves. As the previous captain of the Girls Kick It Gulu Team, Sarah used her natural leadership skills to provide the other girls with support and encouragement. Sarah’s experiences with the war and her parents’ death have given her exceptional critical thinking skills. She has a unique ability to find solutions to problems, both with the team and in the lives of players. Her charisma and leadership skills demand the respect of both men and women. Sarah is the recipient of the first Girls Kick It scholarship to finish her high school studies. Sarah often talks about the shortage of doctors, especially female doctors, in hospitals in northern Uganda. She hopes to attend medical school and specialize in emergency medicine. I her own words:
“I am always looking around at the women in Gulu and seeing all of the potential here. The women here are more hardworking than anyone else, they want a better life for their children. We want better schools and better hospitals here. We have so much potential and we need initiatives here. We are stronger than the government thinks, we are stronger than the NGOs think, and we are stronger than we know.”
Nancy Lakot, age 19
Nancy has been playing soccer for 3 years as the captain of the Paicho team. She is a powerful striker on the field, and often plays against the boy’s team in the area. She helps train the team, organize practices, and represents the team in area functions. Nancy’s passion for soccer stems from her love of fitness and the friendships she has built with her teammates.
Nancy’s education, along with many girls in Paicho, was disrupted for several years as a result of the war. Nancy was born in Parbone village, but her family fled to the Paicho Camp twelve years ago. She is the youngest of five children. After moving to Paicho, Nancy’s brother James, was abducted and killed by the rebels. For many years, Nancy and her family have lived in fear of being abducted. Her life has been dramatically affected by the war, but most of all, she is upset that she has not been able to finish her education. As a result of the abductions and fighting, Nancy’s school was often forced to close. Nancy understands the power of knowledge and wants more than anything to become a nurse. She hopes to study nursing and return to the Paicho community to improve prenatal and infant care.
Nancy draws inspiration from American soccer star Mia Hamm because she “is better than a man.”
Miriam Onekalit, age 18
Miriam is an orphan, heading a family of three young children. She lost all her parents to the war when she was 11 years old. 
Shortly thereafter she left school because of overwhelming challenges of taking care of the younger children. In the year 2006, she joined Girls Kick It, and through positive peer influence and counselling, she has returned to school and now hopes to become a teacher in Paicho.
Jennifer Achan, age 24
Jennifer joined GKI in 2007 hoping to connect with new friends regain the confidence she lost after being abducted by the LRA for 6 years. Jennifer has used the teambuilding and leadership skills she has learned from soccer to help her in her daily life. She says Girls Kic
k It has helped her smile again, and helps her forget the pain of her past to look towards her very bright future!