A Roadmap for Young Women

As you all remember, last month I announced the new YBPW initiative, “A Roadmap for Young Women.” You likely also noticed that I have not followed up on this at all. Unfortunately, I was part of the thousands of Americans who have lost their jobs due to Trump’s freeze on federal spending, specifically in foreign assistance. My company knew this was coming and I was working crazy overtime trying to get as much money to my partners overseas as I could for work they had already completed prior to our stop work orders; before my company couldn’t afford to do so anymore. Then once I was indefinitely furloughed, I took many moments to just breathe and evaluate what to do next. All of this is a long backstory to say that I am trying to get back on my game now and will be sending out this survey soon. I suddenly have copious amounts of free time and am looking forward to spending it with you all and hearing your stories!

I would like to close my monthly update with a request: if you have the time and would be willing to volunteer some of your time to supporting the thousands of women making a transition out of international development, please let me know!

Our entire industry is gone and most of us are having to pivot ourselves to new careers for the first time. My colleagues and I have been putting together resource guides for this information to be shared.

If you have any advice you’d like to share, it would be greatly appreciated!

What is Young BPW?

If you're between the ages of 18-35 and are looking to collaborate on BPW local and international initiatives – including career, leadership, and women's rights -- then Young BPW is for you!

Young BPW members exchange ideas, information, and support to help keep all members achieving their career potential. We offer a tight-knit, engaged community, as well as leadership opportunities, resources, and career-focused programs.

Email us at: youngbpw@nfbpwc.org

Bryn Norrie NFBPWC Young BPW Chair

2024-2026

Keep in the loop of Young BPW activities and join in on them by following us on:

@YoungBPWUSA

https://www.facebook.com/groups/YoungBPWUSA

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Remarkable Woman – Yursa Mardini

This month, I would like to highlight Yursa Mardini. Yursa is a 26-year-old woman born in Damascus, Syria. She was a promising young swimmer in Syria with dreams of qualifying for the Olympics. It was difficult for her to train when the Syrian Civil War broke out.

After a missile destroyed her home, she and her sister, Sara, decided to flee Syria and go to Europe. They went through Lebanon and Turkey before getting on to a small boat organized by a migrant smuggler. There were 18 people on this boat, despite the boat only being made to hold less than half of that. 

This boat was supposed to take them to Greece. However, partway through their journey, their boat started sinking. Remarkably, Yursa and Sara used their strength in swimming to pull their boat through the water for 3 hours until they landed in Greece. Everyone aboard survived this treacherous journey.

The sisters then traveled by foot to Germany from Greece and requested asylum in Germany. While in Germany, a swim coach found Yursa and began working with her.

Eventually, Yursa qualified for the Olympics as part of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team in 2016 and competed in the 100 m women’s butterfly and 100 m women’s freestyle events.

Since then, she has become a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and is considered one of the world's strongest advocates for refugee rights.

In 2023, she started the Yursa Mardini Foundation to support global sports and education for refugees. Her story is truly inspiring and demonstrates the power of community and support even in the most desperate times.

Yursa’s inspiring story has turned into a docu-drama titled “The Swimmers” and can be watched on Netflix.