Fathimath Ibrahim

Started: She took up the sport in 2016 in Maldives. (Athlete, 24 Aug 2021) Reason: She began running after taking part in a charity run in Male, Maldives, the profits of which went towards organisations for vision impairments in the country. She continued to take part in charity events and noticed she could beat non-Para runners, and she then found a coach to train with. (coralglass.market, 01 Jun 2021) Ambition: To compete at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. (Athlete, 28 Aug 2024) Milestones: She became the first female athlete to represent Maldives in any sport at the Paralympic Games when she competed in the women's T11 100m at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. She was one of the first two athletes of any gender to represent Maldives at the Paralympic Games, with Mohamed Mazin also competing in the men's T11 100m in Tokyo on the NPC's Paralympic debut. (SportsDeskOnline, 16 Aug 2024; paralympic.org, 18 Aug 2021) Awards: She and fellow athletics competitor Abdul Razzag Abdul Samad were flag bearers for Maldives at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (medias.paris2024.org, 28 Aug 2024) Additional Info: EDUCATION While growing up on the island of Hinnavaru in the Maldives, she sat separately from her classmates in school due to her impairment. At the time, students who were visually impaired were only able to study up to Grade 7, but with the help of her parents, she lobbied the Ministry of Education for change and was later able to sit and pass her O level exams. After leaving school she joined several non-governmental organisations [NGOs] that campaigned for causes including access to education for the impaired. (coralglass.market, 01 Jun 2021) OTHER ACTIVITIES She has worked and volunteered in a range of civil society and advocacy groups in areas such as first aid, inclusion and empowerment, disaster and waste management, Para athletics, and leadership. Among the non-governmental organisations [NGOs] she has served is the Maldivian Red Crescent, where she progressed to a managerial position. She founded the app Thaana Mallow, which helps people with visual impairments access online content written in the Dhivehi language. She has also served as a member of the Maldives Disability Council. "My main aim in life is to reduce the challenges faced by people with disabilities by giving them accessibility, to fight for gender equality and women's rights. I want to prove to people that being a blind person does not stop you from achieving great things in life." (Facebook profile, 15 Aug 2024; cepps.org, 06 Mar 2023; mv.undp.org, 11 May 2021; iwrf.com, 25 Feb 2021; coralglass.market, 01 Jun 2021) OCCUPATION She has worked for the Maldives Tourism Development Corporation [MTDC] as a customer relations officer in Male, Maldives. (cepps.org, 06 Mar 2023; coralglass.market, 01 Jun 2021; mv.undp.org, 11 May 2021)