Girl from Syria’s Raqqa coaches children for taekwondo
Taekwondo training hall in the city of Raqqa in northern Syria – North Press
By Fayyad Muhammad/Fatima Khaled
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – “I grew up and my dream grew with me, that is practicing a hobby I love first,” says Gufran al-Ahmad, a 20-year-old girl from the city of Raqqa in northern Syria, who coaches children for taekwondo, in a step out of ordinary.
Al-Ahmad has practiced taekwondo for 15 years. She has practiced her hobby and achieved her dream to become a coach.
At first glance, practicing a sport like taekwondo may seem strange for two reasons; the first is that it is practiced by a female, and the second is that it is practiced in Raqqa, which was once the capital of the so-called Islamic State.
In 2014, ISIS captured Raqqa and its countryside declaring an “Islamic Caliphate” in large swaths in several Syrian and Iraqi areas, and it announced Raqqa as the capital of its “Caliphate”. In 2016, with the participation of the US-led Global Coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced a military campaign to drive ISIS out of Raqqa and its other strongholds. In 2017, after intense battles, the SDF finally announced the complete liberation of Raqqa and its countryside.
Since then, the city is run by its communities that formed the Raqqa Civil Council, affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
In her current workplace as a coach, al-Ahmad tells the story of passion and hobby that she has started in 2008, after being encouraged by her family.
“I grew up and my dream grew with me, which I have made it in my imagination since childhood, to see myself now practicing a hobby that I love first, and a new sport in Raqqa, and if it exists, it is exclusive to men,” she tells North Press.
Earlier, she participated in local championships and won first place citywide. She also participated in championships in other cities in Syria and also won third place nationwide.
The idea of girls practicing sports in Raqqa is considered “alien” and strange, especially in the countryside, where society is governed by tribalism that adheres to customs that restrict women in many activities.
She adds that she has suffered from reactions and opinions of society she lives in because she is a veiled woman who should not practice or work in such fields, as they believe.
But the encouragement of family and friends in addition to the great passion for taekwondo gave al-Ahmad “a glimmer of hope for continuing” to become a coach despite what people say.
She feared for her passion during the control of the Islamic State group “ISIS” over the region, where “many people were prevented from practicing their hobbies”, but she did not stop training and continued taekwondo at her home throughout that period, according to what she narrated.
The main goal that encouraged the girl to practice this sport was to learn how to defend herself in case of any problem or if someone attacked her.
“Practicing taekwondo gives me strength and makes me more confident and proud of myself for reaching this stage,” she says.
She advises females to practice such sports to learn how to defend themselves. Also, parents should encourage these ideas and talents to develop and continue, according to her.
Low turnout in practicing taekwondo by females is due to lack of encouragement and support by the concerned parties, according to Gufran al-Ahmad.