Virtus Ambassador and UN Ambassador for ‘Generation Unlimited’.- Yasmine Hassane from Egypt

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Yasmine Ahmed Hussain is an 18 years old swimmer with Down Syndrome from Egypt. She has won more than 60 Gold medals in Egypt Republic Championship and Egypt Cup Championship. She has also participated in many international events. She started swimming at the age of 5 years and is currently in her last year of American high school diploma and speaks 3 languages – Arabic, English and  German.

She also participated in the 3rd celebration of the International Day with Persons with Disabilities under the name of “Differently Abled” organized by the Egyptian Sports Federation for Intellectual Disabilities – ESFID in cooperation with the Ministries of Youth, Sports and Social Solidarity, Egypt with the presence of Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, President of Egypt.

Yasmine Hussain flaunting her Gold medals from the Egypt Republic and Cup Championship

Yasmine was recently appointed as a UN ambassador to the ‘Shabab Balad Initiative’ which is the Egyptian version of the UN Global initiative ‘Generation Unlimited’. e world’s first Public-Private-Youth Partnership (PPYP) aiming to skill and connect all of the world’s 1.8 billion young people aged 10-24 to opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and positive social impact by 2030.

Yasmina (fourth from right) with the other UN ambassadors for the ‘Generation Unlimited’. P.C- UNICEF

Yasmine’s parents and sister were very supportive and always encouraged her.

“When she was young, my vision and my priority for her were actually her academics but as soon as she competed in her first championship, my priorities totally changed. Swimming gave her immense self-confidence and provided a platform where she could excel.

Her mother shared a special message for all the parents who have children with intellectual impairment

 

“Sports really changed my daughter’s life for the best so I always encourage you to let your children participate in any type of sport, not just swimming but any sport. Also, don’t let anyone tell you that your children can’t do anything in life, because I know they achieve great heights. These children have passion for some things and they can learn and excel in them.”