When Mariam Saleh Binladen, a Saudi dentist, saw the plight of Syrian children orphaned by the ongoing war, she went for a swim. A 101-mile swim in the Thames River. Partnering with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), she became the first woman to complete the swim, which took 10 days, in order to raise awareness about the obstacles that Syrian refugee orphans face.
“I am thrilled and very proud to be the first woman to swim 101 miles of the Thames,” she told Arab News. “I wanted to show that a young woman from Saudi Arabia can achieve a lifelong ambition, whilst at the same time raise awareness to bigger causes, particularly the plight of thousands of suffering Syrian orphan refugees.”
As if that wasn’t enough, she was also the first Saudi person to make a solo assisted crossing of the English Channel, a 21-mile swim that took her 11 hours and 41 minutes to complete. She was also the first Saudi woman to make the Hellespont open water swim in Turkey, which goes from Europe to Asia, further proof that her ambition knows no borders.
These incredible efforts for Syrian refugee orphans are important – according to the UNHCR, well over 4 million Syrians have fled their homes, and half of those fleeing are under the age of 17. Reports have shown that underage refugees are more likely to face abuse and often have psychological issues related to the trauma they have witnessed.
But she doesn’t just raise awareness about Syrian refugee orphans through swimming, she also creates tangible change. With UNHCR, she has raised more than half a million US dollars. She also raised enough money to start a free dental clinic, which recently opened its doors to Syrian refugees in Jordan’s Azraq camp, which houses more than 55,000 refugees. In camps that often lack a comprehensive infrastructure, this gives refugees one less issue to worry about.
She credits her upbringing in Jeddah for her humanitarian work, and has said that the social solidarity she felt in her home country pushed her to pursue her passion. For those who don’t think they can achieve their wildest dreams, Binladen has some advice.
“If you are determined enough to achieve your goals and dreams – they can and will happen,” she told Arab News. “I hope that my achievements will inspire others whilst at the same time I hope to draw more awareness to the plight of millions of suffering Syrian orphan refugees.”
Her story is so amazing that it’s being made into a documentary. Her incredible swims and achievements will be broadcast on Swiss TV in early 2017. For now, you can watch the trailer here.
