Personal stories: My sport for development journey

Author Yathrib Al-Hanan Muhammad Salama is a female Palestinian student of physical education and a trainer at the Palestine Sports for Life Foundation. This article was submitted as part of the Call for Articles: Strengthening Sport for Development in the Middle East and North Africa campaign.

First, I would like to talk about the institution that encouraged me to love sports and everything related to it. I have always loved football since I was young, but I did not find any encouragement from anyone, and I faced great frustration from my parents and the teaching staff at school, as they believed sports had no meaning or importance.

But everything changed when I joined the Sports for Life Foundation, which provided me with everything I needed to achieve my dreams. I started with them at the age of 14, where I learned how to play football and how to deal with the people around me. At first, I was a violent person who loved trouble, and I didn’t want to complete my studies. But with the encouragement and support I received from the coaches at the foundation, my personality gradually changed.

At first, I was a violent person who loved trouble, and I didn’t want to complete my studies. But with the encouragement and support I received from the coaches at the foundation, my personality gradually changed.

Through the activities, small games and discussions after each activity, I began to understand the importance of teamwork and respect for others. I continued with the organisation for five years, despite my family’s initial hesitation based on society’s negative view of girls who play football. But with time, my family and the people around me noticed the big positive change in my personality.

When I reached high school, there was great support from my coaches to complete my studies. Thanks to their encouragement, I finished school and entered university to study the major I love, which is physical education. Now, I am second in my major at university.

It didn't stop there; I learned a lot about leadership and how to be a successful leader for my team. I became a trainer at the organization, and I started working with the girls who came for training. What distinguishes this organization is that it focuses on the psychological aspect of the girls before anything else. It taught us how to build our self-confidence, how to organize our time, and how to choose the right career for us.

The foundation also helped teach us important life skills, such as how to deal with people with disabilities and integrate them with others in a way that respects them and ensures that they do not feel alone or different. The foundation also works to integrate girls and boys in joint activities to teach girls strength of character and self-confidence.

Thanks to the foundation, my mental and physical health has changed, and my personality has improved a lot. Today, I work with marginalized girls, helping them build their personalities and develop their skills through small games and group activities, to achieve the same positive change that happened to me.