Humansof40_Official

- The Olympian Dream - 🇲🇦
There is no favorable wind for those who do not know where to go ... A destination is a lighthouse, the meaning that each gives to his life.
My destination, the goal I have always set for myself, is to participate in the Olympic Games.
As a little girl in my native Morocco, I knew that I would go to the Olympic games. I didn’t know which discipline I was going to practice, or under which banner I was going to parade. All I knew was that I would get there.
Arriving in France at the age of 11 without speaking a word of French, I faced academic difficulties but, carried by friendship, diversity and athletics, I never gave up.
At the age of twenty-two, it was while jogging in my neighborhood that a new opportunity appeared. The commander of the fire station interrupted my run. He believed in my potential. I then became a soldier, a firefighter for the Paris Fire Brigade, the only woman in my barracks.
I dreamed of the Olympics, I entered a sporting profession ... did destiny set in motion towards my dream? ... Changes of life trajectories are never accidental.
After a good integration into the barracks, I discovered judo. I started out of curiosity, I never stopped. After many training sessions, I was able to participate in the military judo world championships. My dream caught up with me. I knocked on the door of the French olympic team. The main door was closed, I took the service door by becoming a sparring partner of the headliners. I kept telling myself, "It doesn't matter, when they see my passion, my desire, they will accept me". But my integration was difficult. At that time, I could have given up, but I decided to accept the difficulty, to bend like bamboo and let the storm pass.” .....Continue in comments



@ Paris, France

-NO NEED TO HIDE - .travel
“I realized early on there wasn’t much point in putting a mask on-- hiding my “flaws” to try to fit in. The more I tried, the more I felt like an outsider. Taking my mask off, I began connecting with the people around me in a new way. My “flaws” were what people appreciated about me - my eccentricity, my bossiness, my individualism. Embracing myself has helped me connect with people around the world throughout my travels. When I take my mask off, I think others feel more comfortable taking theirs off too".
Ironically, today we all must wear masks. Literally. But it’s a better time than ever to remove our philosophical masks and show our vulnerabilities. We are all entering uncharted waters, but we are doing it together. We are being invited into our coworkers homes on video calls - gazing into their lives in a way we’ve never seen before. It’s humanizing. Every day I feel like I’m able to learn more about the people around me- from afar. It transforms my sympathy into true empathy and understanding.”

And you, are you ready to be yourself ?

Association Al Amal for Social Integration - by an orphan for all the orphans - .elharraq

My name is Hany El Harraq and my mission is to give every orphan the opportunity to reach their full potential.
I never knew or met family. I grew up at an orphanage where I spent 18 years of my life. I didn't know what would be my destiny. While kids of my age were getting ready to go to university, my challenge was to have a shelter and a living. After 1 year and 8 months being homeless, I managed to find a shelter and decided to go back to school. From that moment on, I promised to myself that I will never let any orphan go through the same challenge I had to experience.
Few years later, at 24 years old, I started the AMAL Association for Social Integration.

This association aims at providing a support system to orphans once they leave care centers. So far, more than 70 graduating orphans have benefitted from this initiative. For instance, the support system aims at helping them in continuing their education, finding a job or building their own families. The association keeps growing and I am very much looking forward to developing a wider support system in collaboration with a larger community, several institutions, and all stakeholders interested in having such a positive impact. here is no human being who deserves to feel homeless and that’s the engagement I want to honor through my association for Orphans.


@ Casablanca, Morocco

- BE THE ACTOR OF YOUR LIFE - Daquawn Bruce 🇺🇸
Greek philosopher Epictetus wrote “it’s not what happens to you but how you react that matters.”
When I first read this quote I did not really understand it. I never really understood how my reactions to things could matter more than the event itself until the latter end of 2018. It was a year I knew would change my life, but the way it did was beyond anything I could imagine.

The “best year of my life” began great. A few trips abroad, college graduation, and then a big move to DC for my dream career. I felt as though everything was in place and that I was ready to begin the life I dreamed of. Two months into dream job I received a scholarship offer and a few weeks later I found myself heading back home to prepare for graduate school.

However, days after returning to Chicago I became the victim of a drive by shooting, and three months later my closest relative was murdered. The shooting left me unable to walk, and losing one of the people I loved most in this world left me broken. I was devastated, angry, and felt foolish to have given up on my dream.

Nevertheless I persevered, and not only graduated at the top of my class but WALKED across the stage on graduation day. In my darkest moments it was my faith, family and the truth behind the words of Epictetus that enabled me to survive. I realized that life happens unexpectedly, and when it does what defines our future is not the events themselves but rather the perspectives we develop as a result.

Will you accept begin the victim or will you choose to be the victor and overcome?


@ Kenosha Wisconson