Dima Alardah was the youngest of five siblings, raised in Amman, Jordan. She was smart and hardworking and valued school, but also took a keen interest in sport. Dima developed a passion for badminton where she would go on to play as a professional and earn a spot on the national team. “I learned a lot by playing badminton,” she says. “I learned how to have goals and achieve them. I learned that nothing is achieved without hard work. I learned to never give up. You just have to keep going until you reach your goals. Sports taught me that.” 

In 2012, Dima opened SHUTTLERS, the first badminton academy in the Middle East. In addition, she is also one of the head sports trainers for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The NRC is working in Jordan to aid tens of thousands of refugees that have fled Syria since 2011. As a sports trainer, Dima works to create sports and outreach opportunities for refugees living in tent camps on the Jordanian border. Her ultimate goal is to use sport to empower girls and women and teach valuable life lessons like teamwork, cooperation, and respect.