Right here’s to the ladies of Particular Olympics!

Extraordinary and proficient ladies worldwide are forging change. At Particular Olympics Asia Pacific, we’re surrounded by ladies of grit who smash stereotypes and break biases daily to guide, inspire and convey about a lot wanted change.

Meet these distinctive ladies who’ve been advocating for change, to create a extra accepting and inclusive world for all.

Aliyah Hidayah – Taking what I must be the girl I need to be 

Aliyah wears many hats: enterprising scholar, lively volunteer, and youth advocate.

At the moment finishing her diploma in frequent engineering, Aliyah has been actively engaged with Particular Olympics Singapore since 2015 when she was launched to the Badminton Outreach Program and Younger Athletes Program.

When she realized the low degree of societal consciousness of the struggles confronted by folks with mental disabilities, Aliyah was decided to do her half to assist finish discrimination in the direction of folks with mental disabilities.

Aliyah has not all the time been this assured and outspoken, in actual fact, she by no means thought she might be a frontrunner. “The athletes of Particular Olympics have helped me discover my voice, my confidence, and my management skills. The fortitude and pleasure I’ve skilled have been indescribable. I’ve develop into a greater participant, higher chief, higher particular person, and I pledge to do all I can to finish injustice, and to do my half to offer extra alternatives for folks with disabilities to shine in all features of their lives.”

Navjot & Rekha – Making a distinction

Meet Navjot and Rekha, particular educators in India who volunteer with the Particular Olympics Younger Athletes program—an early intervention sport and play program for kids with and with out mental disabilities.

Over the previous 6 years, they’ve traveled throughout Punjab, going door to door to succeed in out to numerous mother and father to emphasize the significance of maintaining youngsters engaged in sport and play.

Their inspiring tales of watching youngsters with mental disabilities not simply progress, however blossom with confidence sends a transparent message, “Don’t disguise your particular youngsters. Be pleased with them, not ashamed.”

Though they’ve had folks flip them away, or households asking them for cash in trade for his or her youngsters attending their program, they refuse to surrender. “Individuals ask us, why we select to do what we do. Our reply is straightforward: Each little one deserves an opportunity and a head begin in life, irrespective of their capability.”

Jasmine Sharif – Everybody deserves dignity and respect 

Jasmine Sharif is an athlete with Sotos Syndrome. She has been advocating for the rights of individuals with mental disabilities in her house nation of Pakistan, in addition to globally.

Her journey with Particular Olympics started as a swimmer, competing on the Particular Olympics World Video games held in China and the Regional Asia Pacific Video games in Australia. Most just lately, she competed within the 2019 World Video games held in Abu Dhabi, the place she gained a bronze medal for swimming.

Main by instance, she now guides different athletes as an assistant coach in Particular Olympics Pakistan. She travels the world, talking concerning the significance of inclusion. She strives to continuously enhance herself by studying new abilities past sports activities, incomes herself a qualification in graphic design.

Right here’s to robust ladies, might we be them, elevate them and know them. Collectively, there aren’t any limits to what we are able to accomplish. Human Race applauds these extraordinary ladies who’ve imagined a brighter and kinder future for all of us!

To study extra concerning the journeys of those spectacular ladies and what they stand for, observe our socials: @humanraceasia & @soasiapacific.