Rachel Zihindula knew from the moment she started refereeing that she wanted to take charge at the very highest level.
The 24-year-old hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern city of Goma in a region that has been at war for almost 30 years.
In January, she was elevated to the rank of international referee by world soccer’s governing body FIFA, which qualifies her to officiate at international level.“It’s true that we have a lot of hassles here but I remained brave,” said Zihindula.Congo’s eastern region saw the resurgence of the M23 rebellion in March last year. The rebels seized several towns and villages, and advanced to the outskirts of Zihindula’s hometown of Goma, forcing over a million people to flee.
Inspired by France’s Stephanie Frappart, the first female referee to officiate a men’s Champions League game, Zihindula hopes to one day oversee Confederation of African Football tournaments or FIFA matches. It is unclear when she will get her first taste of international action but she can’t wait for next season to start.
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