We are excited to announce our Ambassador Program and our first member: Ode Fulutudilu. Ode is a striker on the Glasgow City Football Club and the South Africa National Team. When she was only 3 years old, her family fled her native country of the Democratic Republic of Congo in search for more life opportunities in South Africa. Living as a refugee, she was faced with many obstacles such as poverty and unpredictability. One thing that kept Ode grounded and focused as a child was her love for football. Her foster mother encouraged her in the sport and believed in her potential for greatness. Ode played throughout her childhood and was later presented with the opportunity to play in the US at Lee University, where she was valued by her coaches and teammates for her hard work and resilient mindset. After graduating in 2014, Ode’s love for the sport only grew deeper. She returned home to South Africa to play at the Africa Cup of Nations where she helped her team place third. Not long after, Ode took a leap of faith and set out to northern Finland to play for ONS Oulu. As her career progressed, she traveled the world from Finland to Malaga where she represented the Banyana team at the 2019 World Cup. Since then, she has since moved to Scotland where she is currently a striker on the Glasgow City Football Club.
In addition to her impressive play, she is extremely passionate about working with young female athletes to help them find their voice and promote women's sports altogether. One organization she's involved with is Voice in Sport, a platform created to help guide and mentor young female athletes through their journey in sports by connecting them with professional athletes. In sharing her story and the struggles she has faced, Fulutudilu exemplifies relentless drive and ambition, bringing more visibility to women in sports and inspiring young female athletes everywhere.
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