Hayam Essam was raised in Cairo, Egypt with a basketball in her hands. Her family introduced her to the sport at a very early age and it was love at first sight. For more than twenty years, Hayam played basketball at the highest levels in Egypt, representing both her university and the national team where she was selected team captain. “During that time, I learned a lot,” she says. “Girls on the team came to me with problems they would never tell a man. I learned how much females are needed in that space.” 

After retiring from the game, Hayam founded Girl Power, a sport for development program that empowers underprivileged girls through sports. All the women in the organization are former or current basketball players who understand the importance of the life lessons gained from sport. “The girls see us as athletes,” she says. “Seeing is believing when you see the role model in front of you, it changes your idea of what you can become in the future.” Alongside her passion for sport, Hayam is also committed to educating her community on the effects of climate change and in 2018, received a master’s degree in environmental studies.