Three years ago, Isaac Gumperom walked into a football trial in Nwoya District on the recommendation of a friend, hoping to turn his passion for the game into a career. The opportunity has since opened doors to his professional football career, with the 24-year-old striker now playing with one of Uganda’s top-flight clubs in the Uganda Premier League.

Gumperom, who had just completed his Senior Four examinations at Negri College in Gulu City in 2023, was invited to try his luck with Young Elephants Academy FC, which was competing in the FUFA Big League at the time. He had played football throughout his school years and was then attached to Northern Elephants in Kitgum Municipality.

“My friend asked me during my Senior Four vacation in 2023 to go for a match organised in Nwoya District. His club had qualified for the FUFA Big League, so he was not going to be part of it. He told me I could try my luck and, if I was spotted, that could be the beginning of my life,” Gumperom told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Tuesday.

The gamble paid off. Gumperom scored twice to help Young Elephants Academy FC defeat Eagle Soccer FC, impressing the club’s management and earning an opportunity to join the team. “After the match, I went to the CEO and told him I wanted to return home, but he told me that I had played very well and was disciplined. He said I would be given a platform to play and remain at the club. That is how my journey started, with the transfer from Northern Elephants to Young Elephants FC,” he said.

After spending three years with Young Elephants Academy FC, Gumperom secured a three-year contract with Soccer Club Villa in July 2026. He has since featured in three matches as an attacking forward for the Jogoos in the Uganda Premier League.

His journey is one of the many success stories emerging from the Nwoya Mini League, an annual grassroots football competition sponsored by TotalEnergies Uganda. About a dozen youth players have progressed to higher levels of the game through opportunities linked to the competition. Gumperom told Uganda Radio Network that the opportunity to play in the Uganda Premier League has changed his life financially and made him meet new professional friends in the football industry.

Fred Baguma, the chairperson of the Nwoya District Football Association (DFA), said the sponsorship had significantly improved football development in the district, enabling players to progress from grassroots competitions to regional, national and international levels. “Long ago, there was no football in our district. Since TotalEnergies started sponsoring the game here, we have several players studying for free under football scholarships,” Baguma said.

He said the sponsorship had helped establish a structured system for identifying and developing talent across the district. Under the arrangement, the DFA works with sub-county football associations to organise competitions that identify the best teams and players. The process feeds into the Nwoya Talent Cup, which produces teams for the district-level competition.

Collin Opio, the corporate social responsibility manager at TotalEnergies Uganda, said the mini league was part of the company’s efforts to engage young people in its host communities while nurturing talent, discipline and teamwork. “We have been sponsoring this programme because we are working in the host communities. This is a way of engaging the youth and relating with them properly. Through football games, we also instill discipline, and by doing that, we are nurturing the young talents,” Opio said.

He said the competition had already helped some players progress to bigger clubs and higher-level competitions, demonstrating its potential as a talent identification platform. “When you check carefully, some have already graduated and are playing in bigger teams or bigger leagues. You have cases where some might now be playing at the national level. That is what we want to do,” he said.

The ninth edition of the Nwoya Mini League was launched on Saturday at Wii Lacic Primary School in Koch Lii Sub-county, Nwoya District. During the launch, TotalEnergies Uganda handed over playing kits and equipment to participating teams and officials of the District Football Association. A total of 24 teams registered for this year’s competition, comprising 16 men’s teams and eight women’s teams.

During this year’s edition, players participated in a mentorship session organised by the TotalEnergies Uganda Action team. The session focused on responsible behaviour, social interaction, networking, and how players could promote their abilities to potential clubs. Charles Kilama, the Nwoya District Sports Officer, welcomed the mentorship programme, saying it complemented the district’s ongoing sensitization activities, particularly those targeting girls in sports.