Yusra Mardini shows the world it's not yet over for Syrians

UN Goodwill Ambassador, Yusra Mardini shines a light on the continuing plight of Syrians following the fall of Assad. Her message is as powerful as ever.

For World Refugee Day I wanted to write about Yusra Mardini from Syria, having recently read her autobiography, Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph. I thought I would check in on what she’s been doing since the fall of Assad, so looked at her Instagram account. There I found photos and videos of her first visit back to Damascus since she fled in 2015. Just as when reading her book, I found myself choking up.

You can buy Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph from my Bookshop. With each purchase, a percentage goes to Share UK, to keep promoting women’s history; and a percentage goes to an independent bookshop.

In a recent Instagram post, Yusra walks amongst the rubble of where her house once stood, in tears. The post reads:

I’m home..but my home doesn’t stand..❤️‍🩹 I want to share what I feel with you because this is not just about me, this is what many Syrians are going through right now..Loss, pain and trauma. This is the home I grew up in, drew my dreams of becoming the best woman I could be, and even washed dad’s car with him in the neighborhood. Yes, my home is just rubble but those memories will always give me strength to move forward.

Yusra grew up in Damascus, dreaming that one day she would swim for Syria in the Olympics. She was trained by her father, himself a former professional swimmer. But as the civil war progressed, life became increasingly chaotic and dangerous. First they lost their home, then the pool where they trained was bombed. She heard over social media that some of her friends had been killed.

In 2015, she left Syria with her older sister, Sara. Aged only 17, she began the treacherous journey across Europe, crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece. Just 30 minutes after departing, the dinghy’s motor failed. With 20 people on a vessel designed for six, the sisters jumped into the water to prevent it from capsizing. Along with two others, they swam alongside it for three hours. They guided the boat to safety, saving the lives of everyone onboard.

Finding refuge in Germany, Yusra was finally able to train again. In 2016, she was selected for the inaugural Refugee Olympic Team in Rio de Janeiro. Four years later she competed with the team again in Tokoyo. She has since met world leaders, the Pope, and became a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN. In 2022, her book was turned into the Netflix film, The Swimmers. Bring the tissues for that one too!

In December 2024, the Assad regime was finally toppled by rebel forces. While many countries, including the UK and US, were quick to dismantle their Syrian refugee schemes, Syrians still face many challenges. Safety concerns remain, and like Yusra, many returned home to find nothing left. According to UNICEF, more than two million children are out of education, as one in three schools have been damaged, destroyed or are being used as shelters.

Yusra told Elle magazine: “The most important thing for people to know about Syria is that this country is in a state of pain. There’s a lot of anger. There’s a lot of asking, ‘Why did the world turn their backs on us?’ Syria needs to heal. Syria needs to be protected. We need to build the country with the values that we were taught when we were young.'“

The young Olympian has plans to establish the Yusra Mardini Foundation in Syria, but knows she needs to be patient. Syrians are traumatised; they are grieving; and they need to be sure they have a government who respects human rights, freedom and peace.

When our government talks about stopping the small boats, it’s people like Yusra they are referring to. While her swimming talent made her a little out of the ordinary, underneath that she was just ordinary teenager. When she left Syria in 2015, she wanted what all other teenagers want - a future.

Discover more about Yusra’s story in her book Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph by Yusra Mardini, which you can buy from my Bookshop. With each purchase, a percentage goes to Share UK, to keep promoting women’s history; and a percentage goes to an independent bookshop.

Photo: ONU Brasil