Martha Katila Banda is a Zambia Women’s Under-17 and Bauleni United Sports Academy (BUSA) Queens defender.
Born on 6th April 2004, Martha started playing football at a very tender age as a result of just staying home after she could not proceed to Grade 8 due to lack of funds.
Banda is arguably one of the best young defenders in Zambia and an unsung hero because what she does on the field of play is exceptional and her efforts should not be ignored.
The ZamFoot Crew had a chat with the enterprising defender who opened up about how she got involved in playing football.
“After writing my Grade 7 Final Exams at Learn to Inspire School, I could not continue with my education because there were no funds to help me proceed to Grade 8 that is how I stopped. But I would love to go back to school,” Banda said.
Banda is one kind of a player who is always serious with work and minding her own business when she’s on the field of play, very hardworking, well-disciplined and her impact and contribution is only noticed when she’s not in the team or the moment she is substituted.
Despite the challenge of not continuing with her Education, Banda did not want to get carried away by bad vices in her community which is Bauleni and she decided to find a way to keep herself busy from those vices that could distract her from achieving her goals.
“I started playing football when I was very young because I never had anything to do just after writing my Grade 7 Exams. So instead of doing bad things in the society or playing with the wrong company, I decided to join a team called Young Girls before I went to BUSA Queens where I have been since then up to date.”
Martha’s first call up at the National level was in 2018 when she was part of the Under-17 team that was summoned for camp by her club Coach, Kaluba Kangwa before the inaugural 2019 COSAFA Girls Championship that was held in Mauritius and the Copper Princesses came out 3rd after they silenced Botswana 3-0 to emerge Bronze Medalists.
Banda went on to feature at the 2020 edition of the COSAFA Girls Championship in South Africa where unfortunately the Copper Princesses lost in the final 5-3 on postmatch penalties at the expense of Tanzania after a 1-1 draw at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Martha’s dream is to play professional football outside Zambia.
“I always pray and hope to go far in my football career and I aim to play professionally, so I will keep working hard so that I achieve my goals and dreams in life.”
Martha has featured in all the 13 games for BUSA Queens in the current inaugural 2020/21 FAZ Women’s Super League and she has never been red-carded before both at club and the Under-17 national women’s team level.
MARTHA BANDA’S QUICK FILE
Name: Martha Katila Banda
DOB: 6th April 2004
Current Club: BUSA Queens
Favorite Player – Margaret Belemu
Dream – Playing Professional Football.
Accolades: 2019 COSAFA U-17 Bronze Medal, 2020 COSAFA U-17 Silver Medal, 2020 Barbra Banda, and BUSA Women’s Championship Silver Medal.
