To the Youth Fund Sports & Culture Venlo page

Venlo | March 17, 2022

Nadya Abou Salman: 'The only thing I could bring from Syria was my love for sports'

Nadya Abou Salman appears on my screen. A beautiful, radiant young woman. In 2015, she fled war-torn Syria with her two sons to the Netherlands. After a stay in an asylum seekers' center, she found her new home in Venlo. Nadya has become a key figure in the community and a role model for many women. She received the "Venlo Distinguished Woman" award for her community service. Nadya also serves as an intermediary for the Youth Fund. 

Sports are one of the reasons Nadya managed to stay afloat and quickly create a home for herself and her family. "I come from a sporty family," she says. "My father, brothers, and uncles—we all played sports and encouraged those around us to do the same. I was primarily an active basketball player, also refereeing. But then the war came." 

Sports in the AZC

Nadya's husband fled by sea to Greece in 2014 via Lebanon and Turkey, eventually arriving in the Netherlands. A year later, Nadya and her two sons followed. The only thing she could bring with her was her love of sports. "We ended up in an asylum seekers' center where we ended up living for a year and a half. That was very difficult. Suddenly you're sharing the kitchen, bathroom, and common areas with people from different cultures, with people you don't know and whose language you don't speak. I started with what I knew: encouraging people to participate in sports. First the children, but later the women joined in as well. This caught the attention of the asylum seekers' center management, who then officially asked me to organize and lead sports activities. Sports connected all these people with their stories and backgrounds from different countries."

Resilience

It speaks volumes about Nadya's resilience, being able to inspire people and get them involved in sports despite difficult circumstances. After leaving the asylum seekers' center (AZC), the family found a home in Venlo, where she began coaching young people. "In Venlo, I started working with young people and women. I started as a volunteer at my children's school. Later, I organized fitness activities, but also just fun things for women from Venlo. Walking together, working in the vegetable garden, and cooking. When people do things together, they gain more understanding and can support each other."

Sports consultant

In 2021, Nadya became a sports consultant for the municipality of Venlo. Her job was to connect people from different cultures through sports. "I had to work hard to learn the language, and there were also differences in development between Syria and the Netherlands. I took several courses and received a lot of support from colleagues. We organized activities for families who didn't have enough money to play sports. That's how I discovered the Youth Sports & Culture Fund. At one point, we had over 60 children from all kinds of cultures," Nadya laughs. "Many children from Arab countries, but also from Somalia, Japan, Poland, and Pakistan. Enjoying playing sports together. Sports brings people together. That's why I also..." intermediary I've become a member of the Youth Fund. Sports mean so much to me and my children. They also help children in their future. That's why all children should have the opportunity to participate in sports. Ideally, every school should have its own intermediaries.

Read more about the Youth Fund for refugee children