A quick google search for youth sports programs in refugee camps and you will very clearly see that not a lot of options currently exist. With more than 70 million forcibly displaced individuals arounds the world, more than half of which being youth, the need for a multitude of programming is immense. Sports programs don’t and shouldn’t supersede basic needs like food, water, shelter and health care; but they still need to be part of the conversation when talking about how to best support refugee youth and their families. I am personally working through developing a program in Ethiopia on this very subject, but why don’t they currently exist? A few of the biggest reasons are:

This blog has been 10 years in the making. I’ve always had a lot of opinions and thoughts and don’t have trouble sharing them in person, but I’ve always had high levels of fear of putting my thoughts and ideas on paper. For the past two years I’ve been working on international sports exchange programs with coaches and youth from all over the world and I’m always struck by the bravery and strength that they all have to visit a country they have never been to before and dive right into an experience that is foreign and new. If they can jump right in and be so open to sharing their thoughts, ideas and experience; why can’t I do the same in this medium? I share so often in person, but it’s taken a long time to overcome my fear to start this podcast and blog. I’m glad I’ve finally started to do it, but it wasn’t easy.