Zainab Came from the Darashakran Refugee

camp in November of 2021 with a group of her friends to run the Erbil Fun Run. That year, due to a lack of government funds and the threat of Covid, the marathon had been cancelled, but the Erbil Marathon Foundation wanted to go ahead with a run. I came to the country to write a story about refugees forming clubs and running. It would be my second time to run the race — the first time since 2015. As I was running the 4K, I noticed a tall, young girl in jeans and a marathon t-shirt running barefoot. She passed me; I tried to catch up to her. She passed me again. Finally, when I caught up, she had crossed the finish line, coming in second place.

In the end, that story fell through, but Zainab kept on running. In the early fall, the marathon director Abdulsattar Younis contacted me to tell me of Zainab’s progress over the months — she had not only continued to run races, but she had been winning them. We talked about helping her get proper kit and shoes and coaching, and it became apparent: why just sponsor one girl? Why not form a run club five or six boys and five or six girls from the camps, train them, give them kit and help them with transportation to the races in the region.

Abdulsattar and I started the Darashakran Run Club and with clothes from Tracksmith and shoes from Hoka. I also raised money to pay for transportation and race entry fees. On a late November Wednesday afternoon, we entered the camp with clothes and shoes and distributed all to 12 very happy teenagers. Two days later, all of them turned up at the starting line in their new kit to run the 10K, disappointed they weren’t yet ready for the half-marathon. That’s the next step.

THE IRAQI FOUNDATION FOR SPORT + PEACE HAS A MISSION TO:

1. Keep the Darashakran Run Club going, and add sponsorship for a local tennis team, as well as a football team within the camp.

2. Run campaigns to raise awareness of the physical, psychological and community benefits of sport. Ensure that girls and women have access to sport and encourage them to fully participate.

3. Provide an opportunity for people of all backgrounds and regions in Iraq to work together and show the international community Iraq’s commitment to peace and non-violence through sport and other endeavors. 

4. Educate young people, especially marginalized communities and refugees about opportunities through sports and provide them with an alternative to radical idealism, substance abuse or other adolescent harms.

To donate money, go to the Darashakran Run Club Just Giving Page or contact Adrian Brune at ambrune@gmail.com for a donation of lightly used running shoes, clothes and other gear.