Fazila Ikwaput scores at will. And the Emami East Bengal women's team’s Ugandan striker does not want to stop.

“I love to score goals, like any other striker,” she told The Telegraph.

On Friday, during East Bengal women's team's 5-0 romp in a rain-interrupted Indian Women's League (IWL) match against Garhwal United FC at the club ground, Fazila's double took her tally to a staggering 30 goals in 23 matches in all competitions.

She also did a first, breaking Tolgay Ozbey's record for the maximum goals for East Bengal — men and women — in a single edition of the top-flight national league. Ozbey had 18 goals while Fazila took her tally to 19 on Friday.

Despite her goal-scoring exploits, which helped her team retain the IWL title with two matches to spare last Tuesday, the 30-year-old Fazila is still not a very familiar face. Yes, some fans do recognise her, but it comes nowhere close to the adulation enjoyed by members of the men's team.

During the 2025 SAFF Women’s Club Championship in Kathmandu last December, Fazila was the cynosure. “Fazila was mobbed everywhere,” someone who travelled with the squad to Kathmandu said. “Here also it will change,” a confident Fazila said.

East Bengal had won the inaugural tournament and Fazila had bagged the Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards.

Fazila joined the Calcutta outfit last summer from Gokulam Kerala FC. “I know our coach (Anthony Andrews) from the Gokulam days. The atmosphere here is good, it is like a family. So it’s like one team. It did help me to settle down and adapt fast.”

Born in Mbale City in Eastern Uganda, Fazila runs an NGO called Fazila Initiative, which works to improve the lives of women players in the country.

“The Initiative helps with the girls’ needs. We try to ensure that they go to school because it’s hard back home. I spend time with them during holidays when they’re free. They also train. I got a coach who teaches them the nuances of the game. After training, they go to school where everything is taken care of. I had opportunities. I want them to get the same.

“Since I am a known name in Uganda, schools respect me. Sponsors come forward because they know who I am. That’s how the girls get the opportunity to go to school without paying any money,” Fazila informed.

Women’s education in Uganda has seen significant improvements, with near-parity in primary enrollment. But the challenges remain in retention and completion of secondary school, with only about 27 per cent of girls continuing to upper secondary.

Fazila said women’s football in India is changing fast. “It’s developing at a high speed. I love the challenges here. Every opponent you play against it is like facing a new challenge. So it gives you a chance to learn,” the Ugandan women’s national team vice captain said.

In 2018, Fazila scored against FC Barcelona Femini whilst playing in the Uefa Women’s Champions League for Kazakhstan club BIIK-Kazygurt. “If I get the opportunity, I have to score. That’s my job, whichever club I play for.”