Mary’s story: how football is helping refugees build new lives
mardi 14 octobre 2025
Résumé de l'article
Ahead of the 2025 UEFA Unity EURO Cup in the Netherlands, we spoke to Mary Edonga from South Sudan, a member of the Northern Ireland refugee team making her third appearance in the competition.
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Forced to leave her family to escape civil conflict in South Sudan and travel 4,000 km to settle in Northern Ireland, Mary Edonga grew up faster than most 19-year-olds. Yet, today, she credits football with teaching her one of life's most valuable lessons.
"Football has given me so many skills, especially how to communicate and better understand people," says Mary, who discovered the beautiful game in Belfast thanks to Street Northern Ireland – Tackling Homelessness.
Formerly Street Soccer Northern Ireland, this charity organisation partners with the Irish Football Association (IFA) Foundation to support refugee integration through football.
Three years later, Mary is studying for a degree in psychology and counselling at Arden University in Manchester, so she can provide practical and emotional support for others – inside and outside the refugee community.
"My experiences as a refugee have helped me understand others who are in similar situations, but as a psychologist and counsellor ... you can have an understanding for anyone, from any background," she says.
"I really think I am here to help others, to work with them in a professional way, as well as the many social connections I’ve made in the community."
Foothold
Mary was initially granted asylum in Northern Ireland before securing refugee status 12 months later. On the surface, the long and stressful journey from South Sudan was over, but memories of her traumatic escape were still fresh. "It was an incredibly sad time for me," she recalls. "To this day, I don’t know where my family are. We all were evacuated, and I lost touch with them."
Like most refugees, Mary had to adapt to a new country and culture. "I didn’t know anyone, and everything in Belfast was new. The weather was new, the culture was new... I didn’t have much support around me," she recalls.
Searching for a foothold in her new world, Mary stumbled on football. "This was new as well, since if you’re a girl in South Sudan, you don’t have the opportunity to play the game," she explains. "I found myself really wanting to play and when I was offered the chance (through Street Soccer), I was so happy."
In 2023, the Irish Football Association invited Mary to play for Northern Ireland’s refugee football team at the Unity EURO Cup in Germany. She also played at the 2024 edition in Switzerland, so this week’s appearance at the tournament at Zeist in the Netherlands represents her third appearance in the famous green jersey.
Mary is an IFA Community Football Ambassador and spoke powerfully at the last Unity Cup about football’s role in opening eyes to the skills and knowledge that refugees bring to their new communities.
"I spoke during a panel discussion, alongside UEFA Vice President Laura McAllister and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi," she says. "It was actually one of the hardest things I’ve done. I was very stressed before it, but I managed it. That really was a great experience."
Finding a voice – on and off the pitch
Football continues to play an important role in helping Mary feel at home in Manchester – alongside attending a church group, which allows her to worship in Amharic language, and organising social events with her peers.
"I’ve always got things going on," she adds. "I’m lucky to have made some good friends and I try to help with lots of different programmes offered through the church, like women’s groups and youth activities.
"Football has given me similar experiences; you meet people from places like Germany, and Somalia – and they all have different lives to share."
Hoping to win
Enjoying her new life in Manchester has not come at the expense of Northern Ireland’s refugee football team. Mary is firm in her commitment to the side – and her hunt for glory.
"After last year’s tournament, I said that next year we were going to make it, and we were going to lift the trophy. So, I admit, I put some pressure on the team, but we’re still playing together, still playing for Northern Ireland, and still hoping to win it."
The Unity EURO Cup
The Unity EURO Cup is more than just a football tournament – it's a celebration of our sport's power to unite communities, regardless of background.
Organised by UEFA in collaboration with our partners UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), teams made up of refugees and players from their host communities compete in a mixed-gender event that puts the floodlights on sport’s vital role in facilitating social inclusion.
Find out more HERE.