Mwanahalima overcame adversity and her passion to play the male-dominated football has made the 27-year-old an example to be emulated.
Harambee Starlets forward Mwanahalima Adam has advised young girls looking to make a career from football to do so with passion and exploit every opportunity that comes their way.
Mwanalima’s journey to the Harambee Starlets was not without its challenges. As a female footballer, she faced societal stereotypes and gender biases that are still prevalent in many parts of Kenya but couldn’t allow that to derail her ambitions of donning the national team colours as well as turning pro.
Kenyan footballers continue their successful journey in Turkey, securing contract extensions with Hakkârigücü Spor in women’s top-flight league.
She faced ridicule for playing football, believed to be a male-dominated sport. “I want to encourage young girls of Kenya, to dream big. Football can take you places, even if you start from nothing. What matters is believing in yourself and putting in the effort. The opportunities are there, you just have to grab them,” said the Kansas City striker according to SportsBoom.
The former Mombasa Olympic player plies trade in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), USA. Mwanalima played with unrelenting determination, gaining recognition not just in her Kilindini village, but across Mombasa.
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The Harambee Starlets forward can now look forward to a career in America after ending her three-year stay in Turkey.
Her technical skill, vision on the field, and leadership qualities made her a standout player. “I didn’t have the best facilities or coaches, but the dream was always bigger than the obstacles,” she reflects.
As a professional footballer, Adam has scored 10 goals in 29 appearances across spells with Turkish Super League side Hakkarigucu Spor and Kansas City.
She scored her first professional hat-trick on April 2, 2022 in a 6–0 win over Dudullu, in Turkey, taking her tally on the season to 11 goals in her first 17 games. She became captain of Hakkarigücü Spor in 2023.
To affirm her stance, the Harambee Starlets captain said: “Start small, work hard, and never give up. Your circumstances don’t define your potential. Your heart and effort do.”
