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October 11, 2025

Sierra Leone Minister of Sport credits school sports for growth in women's football.The Sierra Leone women's national team won the West African Football Association (WAFU A) Regional Cup in June. While Sierra Leone's Women's Premier League champions RAM Kamara FC made their debut in the CAF Women's Champions League qualifiers. Speaking to SABC Sport, James-Teima says having school sports as part of the curriculum has helped in grooming athletes. "We have a government that is passionate about sports and passionate about women and definitely it starts in schools where girls and boys are given the opportunity in schools to do sport,” James-Teima said. “There is a period for that in the school curriculum in the timetable where they are given an opportunity to go out, have a feel of sport and what it means and going forward, they are also given an opportunity in some universities not all where there is general time for everyone to come out and exercise." READ: Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade on the team's winning mentality The country's Women's Premier League consists of 12 teams and is directly funded by the government. An initiative that Teima believes has put the West African country on the map. "To be specific, women in sport, especially football, we are so passionate and government is spending a lot of money on the premier league for women and that is where we even got a team and as I said two months ago we won the West African Group A WAFU tournament and we brought the trophy home,” the minister added. “That was a big thing for me as a female minister as well and not to mention the president because she's so passionate about football."