Donawa was a cricket player and triple jumper while growing up in Bermuda, winning three medals in regional competitions and competing at the 2013 World Youth Championships in Athletics.
Donawa won three Ivy League championships with the Big Green, appeared during school breaks with Somerset Trojans, and spent time in the collegiate offseason with Black Rock FC.
[3] Competing alongside Jack Harrison and countryman Zeiko Lewis, Donawa was part of a Berkshire team that won NEPSAC Class A state titles in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
[4] He was selected to take part in the 2014 High School All-America Game, alongside Harrison and fellow NEPSAC players Francis Atuahene and Edward Opoku.
[11] He was an integral part of a Dartmouth team that claimed their fourth consecutive Ivy League championship, but did not take a kick in the penalty shootout as the Big Green were eliminated from the NCAA tournament by New Hampshire.
[18] He made his senior debut for Somerset on 2 January 2014, appearing off the bench in the Friendship Trophy final as the Trojans claimed a 3–2 victory against Hamilton Parish.
[20] Donawa returned to Somerset during the 2014–15 season, playing against Robin Hood in the Friendship Trophy[21] and helping the club to claim their first Bermudian Premier Division title in 22 years.
He scored the final goal of a 3–0 victory against Hamilton Parish in the semifinals,[25] giving Somerset the chance to win their eleventh Friendship Trophy after the new year.
[28] He also added a goal in the semi-finals of the Expansion League Festive Tournament later that month[29] and played the full 90 minutes in a 3–3 draw with North Village Rams on 17 March that clinched Premier Division safety for Somerset.
[30] The match against North Village would mark Donawa's final game with the club, as he was unable to participate during the 2018–19 season due to injury and a lack of international clearance.
[35] He continued his search for a club following the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, moving to England and going on trial with National League North side Darlington.
[36] Donawa impressed manager Alun Armstrong during his trial, tallying a goal in a friendly against Northallerton Town while being described as "a game-changer" and "as good as gold".
[39] He made his first start two weeks later in a 2–0 win at home to Southport, showing his pace on the left wing before being switched to right wing-back after a defensive injury.
[43] According to the Northern Echo's review, Donawa "married electric pace with impressive aerial ability to score nine goals in his debut season",[44] which made him the team's second highest scorer.
[56] Donawa made his competitive debut for the Gombey Warriors on 25 March 2015, starting and scoring his first two international goals in a 5–0 World Cup qualifying victory against the Bahamas.
[59] Donawa began competing in track and field at the age of 14, winning a bronze medal in the boys' under-17 triple jump at the 2011 CARIFTA Games.