Faced with their precarious situation and health crisis, the event combines institutional advocacy with free medical services, including screenings for cancer, diabetes, and hypertension.
On August 9th, the Tecno Marion Stadium in Douala 3rd District will host a unique and moving event: the « Gala of Pioneers. » Initiated by former international player Amélie Ndjib Ngo Baleba through her agency, Amélian Sport, this gathering aims to bring more than one hundred former female footballers from across Cameroon out of anonymity and hardship. But beyond the tribute and institutional advocacy, this event stands out for a vital initiative: a large-scale healthcare program, specifically designed for women who have been forgotten for too long. Health weakened by time and neglect
During a poignant press conference held on August 1st in Douala, these historical figures of women’s football expressed their distress. Faced with daily hardships and the lack of social security or sports retirement benefits, illness has become their greatest adversary. Choral Machengue “Kunde,” a pioneer of the very first national team, and Gertrude Ngo Mahop, who has been playing since 1978, lament the lack of sustained medical support and assistance comparable to that provided to their male counterparts. Faced with this physical and material distress, the urgent need for appropriate care has become the organization’s top priority.
Cutting-edge medical facilities at the heart of the gala
Aware that dignity begins with health, Amélie Ndjib Ngo Baleba has placed medical care at the center of her approach. On August 9th, the Tecno Marion stadium will not only be the venue for a gala match, but also a fully equipped medical health center. The health measures deployed will allow the hundred or so participants to benefit from comprehensive and free health checkups, including vital screenings for breast cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. A dedicated medical team will be on hand to provide consultations, diagnoses, and guidance to these former athletes as they face these devastating chronic conditions.
Restoring dignity through action
This medical deployment represents much more than simple one-off assistance: it is a concrete act of recognition. If Cameroonian women’s football shines on the
international stage today, it is thanks to the sacrifices of these predecessors who played out of pure passion, without financial gain. By offering them free access to essential health examinations, the « Gala of Pioneers » lays the foundation for a lasting movement of solidarity. This sends a strong message to sports authorities and institutions: before celebrating, we must protect the lives and health of those who wrote the first pages of Cameroonian women’s football history.
