by Elise Goitia '18

Abdulsalam Oganla ‘16 took his recent study abroad experience in London, England, to the next level by putting together a soccer charity tournament to help underprivileged students in South Sudan.

Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Oganla applied for and received the Foundation for International Education's Shahid Rahman Scholarship for charity with the intent of finding a way to aid education with soccer—known as "football" outside of the United States. He came up with the idea to hold a charity tournament that would raise money for the Marol Academy, a school that offers equal opportunity and sustainable education to marginalized youth in South Sudan.

"I'm an advocate of combining education with soccer because I think they go hand-in-hand," he said. "I'm actually an ambassador for sports. It's what I'm passionate about."

With the help of FIE staff member Louei Kallam, Oganla planned and coordinated the FIE Charity Football Tournament. The event featured eight teams with eight players per team that competed to take home a trophy. Prizes were also raffled off, including tickets to a Fulham F.C. game, a Chelsea F.C. stadium tour, and productions of Lion King and Wicked.

"FIE staff participated as well, and won!" commented Oganla. "It was just a really friendly tournament on a beautiful day in Hyde Park, with games going on and pictures and food. I'm still excited about it."

While in London, Oganla also utilized his economics major and business minor by interning at a startup company called Dispatch, which operates the Dispatch Messenger app. 

At Knox, he has played on the Prairie Fire men's soccer team for four years and also managed intramural soccer for two years. The sport, he said, is "everything."

"I grew up playing soccer in front of my house," he added. "My father has a piece of land where people from everywhere come to play soccer. We've broken so many windows at my home. When I went back to Nigeria two weeks ago, I saw kids playing in the same spot. My mom was mad, but my dad said, ‘Relax. This is where your kid learned how to play.'"

In the future, Oganla hopes to continue his work in combining education with soccer.

"It's a good feeling," he said. "When you have the courage to want to help, then you're getting somewhere. It's that intention that makes a difference in the world."