As Women's Month draws to a close, we profile an exceptional role model who has leveraged her success as an international football player to further her passion for philanthropy.
Nadia Nadim’s journey to success was marked by numerous obstacles, some of which might have seemed insurmountable to others. However, for the professional footballer, these challenges became the catalyst that shaped her into the inspirational and successful woman she is today. Recently announced as one of H&M Move’s brand ambassadors alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovich, she shared the challenges she’s experienced and the importance of having a purpose greater than yourself.
Having fled their native country of Afghanistan as refugees, Nadia and her family settled in Denmark, faced with the hard task of rebuilding their lives in a foreign country completely separate from what they had known.
In an exclusive interview with Glamour, she shared an early core memory from their arrival: an act of kindness from a policeman they encountered, who graciously offered her family food as it was painfully evident that they were starving. This simple act of kindness left a lasting impact and has inspired the work she does today, empowering young girls from impoverished and challenging backgrounds. Using sport as her tool, she shows them that anything is possible. Despite her challenging background, today Nadia is an accomplished Doctor, speaks eight languages and plays international football for both the Danish Football team and AC Milan (and currently resides in the city of Milan). In 2018, Forbes ranked her Number 20 in their "Most Powerful Women in International Sports" list.
This makes the synergetic partnership between Nadia and H&M Move a great success, particularly her involvement with the brand’s Move Together initiative. Move Together is a community programme that helps young individuals overcome barriers and foster a sense of belonging through collecting movement. Through this programme, H&M Move recently teamed up with South African non-profit organisation ActivateHer to provide sporting opportunities to girls in under-served communities in Cape Town, while fostering physical and emotional well-being and life skills through movement. Importantly, ActivateHer provides a safe space for the girls to enjoy movement and play without fear of being harmed.
To show her support for the partnership, Nadia travelled to Cape Town recently to join ActivateHer on a school outing, engaging with the girls and coaches through motivational movement and leadership sessions. With the support of Nadia and H&M Move, ActivateHer is equipping young girls from vulnerable socioeconomic backgrounds with the necessary tools to become a success, using Nadia’s journey as a testament that the impossible can be achieved.
Nadia shared, “What I care about is what people remember about me. To serve as an inspiration and a beacon of hope because if I was able to do it, so can you. I believe I have proven that you don’t need to be boxed in by society's expectations. Having faith and believing in yourself is important.”
Due to the positive impact that sport has had on her life, Nadia has made it her mission to help young girls and women succeed. When asked what life after football would look like, she smiled cheekily and answered, “To be the first female FIFA president of course.” Somehow I believe her.
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