On the East African island of Zanzibar, where traditional gender norms present significant obstacles for women and girls in sport, there’s a beacon of hope named Fatma Said Ahmed. Restricted from playing sports in school, Fatma developed an interest in basketball at the age of 18, and through her love of the game, made it her life’s mission to raise awareness of girls’ right to play and participate in sports. She developed programs exclusively using sport to address some of the issues plaguing her community. Fatma also leveraged her role as a UNESCO volunteer and member of the Zanzibar Youth Forum to educate female students on the academic and physiological benefits of physical activity. 

After receiving a degree in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, & Microbiology, Fatma developed her Girls Inclusion in Sports Campaign. Through the program, she conducted sport for development sessions in different schools across the island to make female sports participation socially acceptable throughout Zanzibar. Fatma’s next mission is to open a sports and leadership academy that will help create new opportunities and empower more young girls and women to make their own choices and develop confident voices.