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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Madalitso Wills Kateta in Lilongwe

From dusty pitches to football stardom: the rise of the Chawinga sisters

Temwa Chawinga (left) and Tabitha Chawinga
Temwa Chawinga (left) and Tabitha Chawinga have succeeded in breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport in Malawi. Composite: Shutterstock

Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga’s rise to international football stardom began on the humble, dusty football pitches of Rumphi, a district in northern Malawi. Their journey, filled with challenges and perseverance, reflects the determination and dreams of two sisters determined to break barriers in a male-dominated sport. And how they have succeeded.

Growing up in a society where girls were often discouraged from dreaming beyond traditional roles, the Chawinga sisters were passionate about football from a young age. “We used to play football with boys. I did whatever the boys did and that laid the foundation for my football career,” Tabitha recalls.

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