A dream has come true for Loza Abera, who this month became the first Ethiopian woman to sign a contract to play professional women's football in the United States.
"I am thrilled," she said during a TV interview with VOA's Horn of Africa Service.
"I used to say to my friends, 'I will be the first woman professional international player.' No one believed me during that time ... this was my dream," Loza said of her journey from playing street football outside her home in a small town in southern Ethiopia to a professional league in America.
Earlier this month, Washington's entry in a newly formed Division 1 women's football league announced the signing of Loza, the captain of Ethiopia's Women's National Team. The club, DC Power, said it was the first-ever contract for an Ethiopian-born woman's football player in a first-division U.S. professional league.
Loza, 26, says she understands she has a responsibility to not just achieve her own dream, but also to inspire other Ethiopians.
"I thank God for helping me reach here. I was happy."
Early journey
Born and raised in a neighborhood of Durame city, about 320 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, she started chasing her dream as early as age 5, playing neighborhood football with other kids on a field across from her home.
"I believe that field impacted me. It was right in front of our house. If I am out of the house what I find is the field," she said.
At the age of about 15, she signed her first contract with Hawassa Kenema, a football club based in southern Ethiopia.
There were not many girls playing at the time in Durame city, she recounted. "Even though some female players came before me, it was not that common, and they weren't accepted."
But her chance came when the Ethiopia National Football Federation instructed the men's teams under its control to form parallel teams for women. The local club, Hawassa Kenema, followed the directive and invited girls to join the new team.
Loza played for two years in Hawassa Kenema, developing professional experience, and in 2013, she was selected to play for the Ethiopian national team.
Before joining DC Power, she had stints in Sweden and Malta, but it didn't work out, and she returned to Ethiopia each time.
The tryouts
While playing in Malta in 2019 and 2020, she was introduced to a U.S.-based football agent and coach, Mezmure Dawit Mekuria.
"The discussion took six months," she explained. "When different teams called for tryouts, he used his network for me to participate, including tryouts in Miami; Orlando, Florida; and New York."
In January 2024, while she waited to hear back from her tryouts, Mezmure Dawit linked her up with Virginia Marauders FC, where she scored 10 goals in 11 games during the past summer's tournaments and competitions.
That caught the attention of the coaches at DC Power, leading to her signing.
Mezmure Dawit described Loza to VOA as "a hardworking professional mind, motivated and talented. In addition, she believes consistency works.
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"Talent without hard work is nothing. As my project continues to help Ethiopians become professionals, some of the players will join the USA leagues soon."
Loza says the "best part" about her joining the Washington club is that the U.S. capital region hosts a sizeable Ethiopian community, so she will not feel alone in a strange land.
"The emotion is immense. There is such a thing as representing Ethiopia, and many Ethiopians come to my games to watch me play. It is very emotional to see how I have inspired first-generation Ethiopian Americans and how much they strive to achieve their dreams," she said.
"This is a huge success."
Her aim for the next two years, she said, is "to score as many goals as possible and win many cups with the club."
