Tito’s Story

Tito' Story

Back in 2006 was the first unofficial football match for the Sudan women’s national team. Since then, in 2011, South Sudan became independent from Sudan and is now the world’s youngest demographically country. South Sudan is not only a young country on the world map but also the age of the population. Half of the population is under 18 years old, which means the future depends on the youth. 

 

Tito Taban is a young man living in Juba, South Sudan’s capital. Football is his free space and a big part of his life. 

 Tito is a man with big dreams but lives in a country without opportunities. The seven-year civil war has had a significant negative effect on the country. 2020 was the war’s end, and it’s time to rebuild the country and create peace and a sustainable future.

Tito at Open Fun Football School

A year before the civil war ended, Cross Cultures came to Juba. They implemented a football programme to empower youth and create social cohesion.

 The football programme contains a Youth Leadership Education, where young people can take a 60-hour education to become football coaches. And that was it – Tito saw an excellent opportunity to develop himself and make a path for women’s football in South Sudan.

 

“When Cross Cultures came with the programme, I saw there were opportunities to bring girls into football.”

 

Tito was thrilled and ready to learn more about football. The 60-hour education is both academic and practical. The academics were fun for Tito, and he learned a lot. It was now time to show his skills practically at Open Fun Football School. 

Open Fun Football School

Open Fun Football School is a football school for children focusing on inclusion, diversity, and fun, where young volunteers are in charge of executing the football school. Tito was ready for that and looked forward to coaching the children and giving them a fun time.

 

After the Youth Leadership Education ended, Cross Cultures distributed all the equipment among the coaches, so they could go out and start their own thing in the local community.

 

“When Cross Cultures distributed sports equipment to coaches, I was in Munuki Zone with other coaches.”

Munuki FC

“When I started the team, only seven girls got interested. The next week the number of girls increased to fourteen.”

 

It was apparent that Tito started something good for the girls in the Munuki Zone. After two weeks, Tito had enough team members to play official matches. He started training immediately to become a champion with Munuki FC.

 

But it was a tough beginning for the team.

 

After two months, the team started playing some friendly matches.

 

Munuki FC got invited to the first official tournament in the club’s history.

Tito and the girls were super excited to play their first tournament as a team. They trained hard to become a champion.

 

But Tito and the girls didn’t know that was waiting for them.

 

 

Munuki FC got knocked out in the first round of the tournament.

Three months later

It was December 2019. Tito and the girls returned to the training field to develop their team. The days passed, and it was now time for the second tournament in the club’s history. 

 

It seemed like the hard work paid off, as Munuki FC could lift the trophy as champions. 

What a great success for Tito and the girls!

Munuki FC champions

New year, new tournament. Munuki FC became champions again! Nothing could stop the girls now! Except for one thing… Covid-19.

 

Two years passed by without tournaments and matches.

 

It was now 2022. Juba Local Football Association organised a Super Cup for the best women in the capital. 

The world was back on track, and so were Tito and the girls. 


It was the first edition of the Super Cup, so Munuki FC was ready to make history as the first winners of the tournament. And guess what? They did it! Munuki FC won!

 

Tito and Munuki FC became the Champions… again!

The National Team

If not enough, all the girls got the opportunity on the South Sudan Women’s National Team. 

 

“The team is currently in good form, and all of the girls already got an opportunity at Women’s National Team.”

 

“The girls also realised the equality, as football is not only for boys and men. But the girls are now comfortable in the South Sudanese football system.”

 

This story is a great success story!

 

Congratulations to Tito and Munuki FC for developing women’s football in South Sudan and promoting equality in perfect manners.