Women’s football is experiencing unprecedented growth, but as the game evolves, so do the opportunities to leverage innovation for its development.

Enter Gloria Mariwa, a newcomer in the field of sports technology and a passionate advocate for advancing the women’s game. In our latest conversation, Gloria shares her insights on how cutting-edge technology—from data analytics to virtual reality—can revolutionize the sport, enhancing everything from player performance to fan engagement.

As a lifelong Arsenal supporter and an industry leader, Gloria embodies the intersection of tradition and innovation. Dubbed “14thgunner,” she draws inspiration from her favorite club’s history while envisioning a future where tech tools empower female athletes, coaches, and clubs to reach their full potential. Her perspective sheds light on how the adoption of technology isn’t just a luxury but a necessity for leveling the playing field and ensuring women’s football continues its upward trajectory.

Bonito: Gloria welcome to the Bonito Platform- its so great to have you here and to learn about your work.

Gloria: Thanks Bonito for inviting me!

Bonito: How did your love for football first take root, and what inspired you to see the game as a force for social good?

Gloria: My love for football has always been rooted in playing the game. Growing up, FIFA video games and watching live matches didn’t capture my attention—I wanted to humble players on the pitch, not on a screen (though I did dominate on FIFA Street, hahaha).

Oddly, my football passion wasn’t passed down by family. My dad and brother? Indifferent. My mom and sister? Not interested either. But I dragged my whole family into it anyway—though my dad and brother remain stubbornly uninvolved. It was my cousins on my mom’s side who really built up my love for the game. Our holidays weren’t complete without football sessions, whether in neighborhood parking lots in Nairobi or our family compound in Mombasa.

I’ve been playing football for over a decade, but only recently recognized its power to create meaningful social change. My introduction to “sport for good” came through Ready Sport Global’s Innovation Series by Lucy Mills earlier this year. It opened my eyes to an entirely new dimension of football—one that drives global impact.

Bonito: Football resonates deeply across cultures and continents. In your view, what makes the sport such a universal and emotional connection point for people around the world?

Gloria: Football’s simplicity is what makes it truly universal. Forget the intricate tactics—at its core, all you need is a ball, some makeshift equipment, and the basic rule that hands are off-limits. The objective? Get the ball into the back of the net—simple, yet endlessly engaging.

Even if you don’t speak the language of the teams, football transcends words. It’s a story that unfolds in real time, told through the players’ emotions—celebrating, conceding, or pushing through challenges. From moments of sportsmanship to the heartbreak or elation of the final whistle, football is a shared journey that anyone, anywhere, can connect to.

Bonito: What’s your perspective on the current landscape of women’s football in Kenya? What progress has been made, and what challenges remain?

Gloria: Women’s football in Kenya struggles due to a lack of structure and attention. Basic systems like ticketing are absent in the Kenyan Women’s Premier League (KWPL), where most games are free. While free entry helps build an audience, it limits clubs’ financial independence and sponsorship opportunities.

Corruption in the men’s game overshadows the women’s, but issues like low or unpaid salaries still persist. In some cases, players face “pay-to-play” scenarios, and sadly, non-monetary payments often involve exploitation.

Despite the challenges, Kenyan women’s football has immense potential. The Junior Starlets (U17 team) made history by qualifying for Kenya’s first World Cup—a stark contrast to the neglect they’ve faced. The global growth of women’s sports is undeniable, and Kenya must catch up. With proper investment, we can tap into a ready audience eager to support women’s football.

Bonito: Your work interest is in the intersection of football and technology. Could you share some of the exciting projects you’re working on and how they’re shaping the game?

Gloria: Sport-tech is new to me—a passion I discovered during my gap year in 2024. I’ve always dreamed of merging football and technology but never realized it was possible until recently.

One area I’m exploring is fan engagement, inspired by the fact that 99% of fans never get to see their favorite teams play live. Fans drive the game but are often overlooked, especially in Kenya, where their voices are ignored. I’m working on empowering fans through Web 3, Artificial Intelligence, and spatial/haptic technology. These innovations are the future of football, and the future is now.

Bonito: Really interesting and we see this is inspired by your love of the Gunners! How do you envision technology transforming fan engagement in the coming years? Specifically, how can it help grow the women’s game and foster a more inclusive environment in football?

Gloria: Cross-sport and cross-nation collaborations are essential for the growth of women’s sports. We already have an audience, but technology can amplify our reach.The women’s game suffers from poor media coverage, leading to funding and sponsorship gaps. Technologies like live-streaming without regional restrictions or enhancing fan experiences with VR/AR could close that gap. Investing in each other and in ourselves will ensure we don’t just take a slice of the pie—we bake a new one.

Bonito: We love Storytelling at Bonito and storytelling is a powerful tool. How do you think it can be harnessed to elevate the women’s game globally, particularly in Africa?

Gloria:Storytelling is our strength in Africa. Unlike other regions where players worry about getting into top clubs, many African players struggle to even find fair opportunities due to systemic barriers and traditional beliefs.

These challenges produce incredible, diverse stories of resilience and triumph. Sharing these stories can inspire and motivate a global audience while spotlighting the unique beauty of African football.

Bonito: What practical advice would you offer to grassroots football organizations seeking to use technology to advocate for inclusivity and build stronger football communities?

Gloria: Start simple and grow. Emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Web 3 aren’t feasible for everyone, but a well-maintained social media presence can go a long way.

My platform, 14thgunner, began as a fan page for Arsenal Women. Over time, it’s opened doors—covering travel costs for sports events and connecting me with opportunities. If managing social media feels overwhelming, empower a younger person with potential to run the account. It’s the small, consistent steps that lead to impactful change.

Bonito: Thanks so much Gloria for joining us and we will stay tuned for more from 14thgunner!

Gloria: Thanks for sharing my work on the platform!

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BIO

Name: Gloria Mariwa

Organization (s): 14thgunner, Wecheza & Girl Up

Role: Founder (14thgunner & Wecheza), Content Creator (14thgunner), Partnership Manager (Wecheza) and Global Teen Advisor at Girl Up. 

Favorite Football (or sport) for good organization apart from your own: Common Goal

Favorite Football Club: Arsenal

Dream sport for good organization that you would love to collaborate with on a project: Common Goal

In North America, the sports industry is a  machine fueled by profit, with four of the top five revenue-generating leagues and over 190 professional teams chasing the bottom line. Nowhere is this profit-driven reality more stark than in Oakland, California—a city which had been abandoned by its professional teams, all lured away by promises of greater financial gain. But in this city, despite the heartbreak endured, a defiant spark ignited. In Oakland, a new kind of team was born—not for profit, but for purpose. The Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul emerged with a mission to serve, inspire, and uplift their communities. In 2023, they shattered expectations and made history, raising $3 million USD from 5,000 supporters in the most successful community investment round in U.S. sports history.

Mike Geddes, co-founder and former Chief Purpose Officer of Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul, stands at the forefront of this revolution in purpose-driven sports. Now serving as Vice President of 17 Sport, Mike recently sat down with Bonito to reflect on the transformative journey of Oakland Roots & Soul—and to share his vision for a future where impact, not profit, becomes the true measure of success in the sports world.

Bonito: Mike, thanks so much for joining us! Tell us about how your passion for football began and how you were captivated to explore the ways the game could bring about positive changes for society? 

Mike Geddes: In 2005 I was in Northern Mozambique making a documentary for the BBC about how football was being used to heal the country after the civil war. We had got up to shoot the sunrise, and we noticed that dozens of kids had come out to sit in the dark with us. We thought they were there to look at the sunburned English people, but they were just waiting for the sun to come up. As soon as it did, they started playing football. And they didn’t stop again until it went down. Their community had few schools, no running water and a lack of most civic structures, but football was the thing that brought everyone together. That was the moment I decided that this was way bigger than just sport, and I had to quit my job as a reporter, and get involved in the game myself.

Bonito: That’s incredible Mike, Why do you think football particularly evokes such powerful sentiments with such a broad range of people all over the world?

Mike Geddes: Football connects us to our shared humanity. We have built a society which is designed to isolate us, extract from us and polarize us. Sport – and especially football – breaks down those barriers. It’s revolutionary. The most profound, cross-cultural connections I have had happened on a football pitch. It speaks to us on the most fundamental level, like music. But unlike music, football is the same wherever you go. If you were going to design a tool to connect as many people as possible across every boundary and barrier you can think of, you’d design something like football.

Bonito: You have had a wonderful career working previously for such organizations like Street Football World America, 17 Sport and the Third half. Football as a sport has obviously grown in America-would you say that the use of football as a tool for social impact has also had a correlated rise during the last 10-15 years?

Mike Geddes: Yes, and what’s interesting is seeing the growth of ‘purpose-driven’ pro teams. Pro sports in the USA are not like in other parts of the world. Teams come into existence because an owner wants to buy into a league so they can make money. Where that team plays doesn’t really matter, and if they can make more money by moving the team to another city, that will (and does) happen. Football – or soccer – has the chance to offer a different type of model, and it’s interesting (and inspiring) to see the growth of community-driven clubs like Vermont Green, Minnesota Aurora and Ballard FC in the US and Pacific FC in Canada. These clubs see purpose as a central part of their strategy to be both profitable and sustainable.

Bonito: How did the Oakland Roots project come about and what makes it so unique and successful as a project that bridges the gap between professional football and social impact?

Mike Geddes: Oakland Roots came about because myself and my co-founders thought there was room for a different model of pro sports – one which put the community first, and not the owner or the league. My co-founders are all from Oakland and they believed there would be demand for a pro soccer team in one of the most diverse cities in the United States. But they wanted to build it around a purpose – and they asked if I would be interested to help. Of course I was, because several years previously I had worked with a non-profit called Kick4Life FC in Lesotho. Kick4Life began as a soccer project using the game to teach adolescent health to underserved youth, but over time it turned into a professional club that used its profits to support the social mission. The fact that they had a ‘higher purpose’ than just winning games or making money made them a more successful club, and this was something of an inspiration to me and why I thought this could work in Oakland. Also, Oakland has lost all of its professional teams over the last 10 years – the Raiders (NFL), Warriors (NBA) and Athletics (MLB) have all been moved to other cities by their ownership groups. We thought that if we could give Oakland a team that cared about it, then they would care about the team. And it worked. The reason we have been successful is because we ‘walked the talk’ and stayed true to our promises, and we were able to do that because we found investors who believed in the idea that a club should have a purpose, and a Chief Purpose Officer, and that this would make us a more successful business.

Bonito: Incredible story- what a place to start it also in a city that has suffered so many heartbreaks due to the profit driven sports industry that is so prevalent everywhere but especially in North America. To move on to the broader football for good field- where do you see the football for social good field heading in the next years? Which thematic areas will be most important to deal with and what role do you think professional football clubs will have?

Mike Geddes: I think football is changing rapidly, driven by the hyper-commercialization of the top end of the game brought about by the shift to teams being private equity and sovereign wealth and multi-club ownership. The game is going to become something different, but i think that will create more space for community-focused models that are not just seeking maximal growth at all costs. I hope this means we’ll see a growth in more modest, more sustainable versions of the game. And I believe the most important thematic shift will, and has to be, towards sustainability. Football needs to take a more mature approach to understanding it’s climate impact and that it should embrace its power as a force for good, not continue to bury its head in the sand.

Bonito: Can you tell us about a moment in your football  for social good journey that has an extra special place in your heart?

Mike Geddes: There have been a lot. In 2021 I brought forward the idea that the club should open an equity crowdfunding campaign, which would mean that regular people (not just wealthy ones) could invest even small amounts to become part-owners of the club. It took two years, but we finally launched it in late 2023 with the goal of raising $2M, and just three weeks later we had raised over $3M from over 5,000 new investors, making it the most successful community investment round in US sports history. What touched me deeply about the campaign was the reason people gave for investing – which was the fact that we had put the community first. It was such a great feeling seeing the impact we had had on so many people.

Bonito: It really gives a whole new meaning to the badge of a team when its aim is to serve the community in which its home to. Is there one colleague at your organization or who you have collaborated with who maybe doesn’t always get the spotlight that you would like to shine today and why?

Mike Geddes: My co-founder and our Chief Marketing Officer Edreece Arghandiwal. He’s always positive, always creating and always kind and he embodies our motto – #OaklandFirstAlways

Bonito: Thanks so much for this Mike- this story is one that is close to all of us who believe in the true meaning of football. Also  looking forward to hear about your future endeavors now that you have returned to 17 sport!

Mike Geddes: Thanks and looking forward to follow the Bonito path as well- good luck!

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About Mike

Organization (s): Formerly the Co-founder and Chief Purpose Officer at Oakland Roots & Soul Sports Club and currently Vice President at 17 Sport

Favorite Football  for good organization apart from your own: Kick4Life FC

Favorite Football Club: Leeds United / Oakland Roots & Soul SC

Dream sport for good organization that you would love to collaborate with on a project: Football for Future