I believe sport should be understood as more than a complementary or “luxury” component of humanitarian, social and economic programmes. Sport can play a much more fundamental role in people’s lives, particularly for underserved communities, by developing skills and capacities that support individuals in navigating different trajectories and transitions.

Beyond its contribution to physical and mental well-being, sport can provide an important space for psychosocial support, inclusion and a sense of belonging. It can help build confidence, agency and resilience, while creating opportunities for connection with others and participation in society. In this sense, sport is not simply an activity or an additional service: it can be a meaningful space through which people develop relationships with themselves, with others and with the communities around them.

My engagement with the Yusra Mardini Foundation, including through Swim for Good, is rooted in this belief. My role on the Executive Committee of Swim for Good forms part of a broader commitment to exploring how sport and movement can contribute to inclusion, empowerment and social transformation. I intend to continue developing this engagement through similar initiatives and partnerships.

If you are interested in exploring these questions or in working at the intersection of sport, mobility, inclusion and social transformation, through research, programme development or advisory work please feel free to contact me.