In December, I traveled to tell stories through photography on behalf of the U.S. Department of State and espnW Global Sports Mentoring Program, in partnership with the University of Tennessee Center for Sport, Peace & Society. So meet meet Dima! She’s a truly inspiring woman who is serving and loving others in the world through her love of sport and as a National Badminton Champion, she is an Emerging Leader in the GSMP. As part of the follow on trip with the U.S. Department of State, we went with Dima to where she works with the Norwegian Refugee Council at one of the Syrian Refugee Camps in Jordan. Dima works to create sport and conduct programs for the women and girls at the camps. Dr. Sarah Hillyer and Dr. Ashleigh Huffman conducted two sessions with some women in the camp. Our hope was to create a safe place for them to share their hopes and dreams in a challenging place and to encourage them. We sought to listen to their heartaches and their sufferings and wanted more than anything for them to know that they are loved and not forgotten in this in-between place. I’m grateful for Dima and the work she does every day in this camp.
{All images are taken on behalf of the U.S. Department of State and Center for Sport, Peace, & Society.}
