Football for Reform: The female prisoners in Africa taking coaches courses

“Being in prison here is very complicated for us,” said one prisoner involved in the scheme in Nsawam.

“We are controlled on everything. It gives us a headache.

“But coaching is my passion, so when we heard about the course I was so happy to be part of it.

“We have learnt a lot of skills, like dribbling techniques.”

Former Ghana international Mercy Tagoe, who represented her country at the 1999 Women’s World Cup and has also coached the Black Queens, was among the instructors when the Caf course was run in Nsawam.

She stresses how it can help inmates back into society.

“They can do something with this license. Once they leave prison they can start with the grassroots within their local area,” Tagoe said.

“They go to prison to be reformed. So this course can help them move on with their lives.”

Back in Freetown, Johansen is working with Caf and world governing body Fifa to see how the scheme can be implemented in other African countries – but also further afield in Asia and South America.

Football, she believes, has the power the change the lives of young women in similar circumstances across the globe.

“It’s about using football for positive social change,” Johansen said.

“Football is so much more than just 90 minutes on the pitch. This is an example of that.”