Nawar Athletics

Syrian refugee athlete empowering women through sport in conflict zones

Nawar Athletics is the pseudonymous founder of Nawar Athletics Foundation, a grassroots organization that provides athletic training and leadership development for Syrian women and girls displaced by the civil war. Operating since 2014 from secret locations in Turkey and northern Syria, the group uses sport as a tool for resilience and empowerment. Participants range from teenage refugees to women in their 50s, with programs in track & field, soccer, and self-defense.

Founder Nawar Athletics (identity kept private for security reasons) fled Syria in 2012 after witnessing the murder of her brother for his activism. She began organizing clandestine running groups in refugee camps, noting how sport helped women reclaim their bodies after trauma. By 2019, the foundation had trained over 1,200 women, with 200+ becoming community coaches. Their 'Run Free' initiative partners with UNHCR to build outdoor training facilities in 8 refugee settlements.

The organization's impact extends beyond fitness: 70% of participants report increased confidence to engage in public life, and 30% secure vocational training through program partnerships. Nawar Athletics' story was chronicled in the documentary 'Running Through Smoke' (2018), which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. The film highlights how women used running routes to secretly deliver medical supplies during sieges.

In 2019, the foundation launched its first international relay race, connecting runners in 20 countries with Syrian participants via live-streamed training sessions. Nawar Athletics' TED Talk 'How sport heals war-wounded souls' has 900k+ views, inspiring similar programs in Yemen and South Sudan. Despite death threats, the founder remains committed to 'building legacies of strength where bombs fell'.