ABOUT ALZAHRA SPORT INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY
ALZAHRA Sport International Society is a Canadian registered non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women, girls, youth, refugees, newcomers, and marginalized communities through sport, martial arts, education, leadership development, health promotion, entrepreneurship, and social inclusion. The organization uses sport-for-development as its core approach to create long-term social impact, inclusion, and community transformation. The organization has a continuous history of more than 20 years of work across Afghanistan and Canada and is internationally recognized as a refugee-led sport-for-development organization.
FOUNDING STORY AND FOUNDER BACKGROUND
The foundation of ALZAHRA is rooted in the professional and personal journey of its founder, Masooma Sayed Hashim. In 2004, she returned from Iran to Afghanistan and began her university education in Physical Education. At the same time, she started her professional career in sport and humanitarian development with the French organization EMDH, where she worked as a sport coach for orphaned and vulnerable children. This was her first experience in structured sport-for- development programming. Due to her strong performance, she was selected to join the central office of Sports Sans Frontières (SSF). She worked there as a Sport and Education Project Manager, where she led multiple national-level sport and education programs across Afghanistan. In this role, she gained advanced experience in project design, implementation, coordination, monitoring, and community-based sport programming in complex environments. Alongside this work, she also collaborated with the Aschiana Organization, where she continued her role as a sport coach and educator for vulnerable children and youth. In 2008, she graduated as a top-ranking student (first position in her faculty) in Physical Education. When Sports Sans Frontières ended its operations in Afghanistan in 2009, she decided to establish her own organization to continue and expand her work in sport, education, and social development.
ESTABLISHMENT OF ALZAHRA IN AFGHANISTAN (2009–2010)
In 2009, she founded the first women’s sport club in Afghanistan under the name ALZAHRA. At that time, women’s participation in sport was extremely limited, and ALZAHRA was established as a pioneering initiative to create safe, structured, and empowering opportunities for women and girls through sport. In 2010, ALZAHRA was formally developed into an organizational structure and expanded its programming. The core mission during this phase was: Women’s empowerment through sport Access to safe sport environments Education and leadership development Health, fitness, and wellbeing promotion Social participation and community inclusion
DEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL IMPACT IN AFGHANISTAN (2009–2015)
Between 2009 and 2015, ALZAHRA became a nationally recognized and pioneering organization in women’s sport development in Afghanistan. During this period, ALZAHRA achieved several historic milestones: It established one of the first women’s sport complexes in Afghanistan, creating a safe and structured environment for women and girls to participate in sport. The organization developed women’s national sport programs, Taekwondo and martial arts training systems, and structured physical education and health programs for women. It also implemented coaching development programs for female coaches, enabling local capacity building and leadership development in sport. ALZAHRA introduced women’s entrepreneurship initiatives through sport-based production programs, linking sport participation with economic empowerment. The organization organized national competitions, International Women’s Day sport events, and large-scale community programs focused on women’s empowerment. A major component of its work included advocacy and awareness programs addressing violence against women through sport in partnership with organizations such as UN Women, USAID, GIZ, Counterpart International, AWEC, and the National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan. The organization also hosted international coaching seminars with foreign experts and implemented cultural empowerment initiatives such as sports fashion shows for Afghan women, combining sport, culture, and visibility for women. During this phase, ALZAHRA became one of the most influential and trusted women-led sport organizations in Afghanistan.
TRANSITION TO CANADA AND EXPANSION (2019–2026)
Following relocation to Canada, the organization continued its work under the name ACSA Cultural & Sport Association, registered in Canada in 2019. In Canada, the organization expanded its mission into a broader refugee and newcomer context, focusing on: Refugee and newcomer integration through sport Women’s empowerment and self-defense programs Youth leadership and education Mental health, wellness, and physical activity Anti-racism and social inclusion initiatives Senior newcomer engagement and community belonging Between 2019 and 2026, ALZAHRA delivered more than 40 major sport-for-development programs across British Columbia. These programs included: Integration of Women Refugees through Sport in partnership with the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA); Integration of Afghan Refugees through Sport with the Canadian Red Cross; EmpowerHer self-defense programs funded by Jumpstart Canadian Tire Foundation; EmpowerHer 2.0 combining self-defense and yoga; EmpowerHer Leadership programs; Mindful Move yoga programs with CPRA and Novo Nordisk; Smash Barriers badminton programs; Ace Her Future tennis programs with Tennis Canada; GameOn Girls sport and technology programs with ViaSport BC; STEM Pathways for Youth with BC Hydro; WellConnected Integrated Wellness Hubs with Healthcare Excellence Canada; Voice of Strength programs with Canadian Heritage; Moms Get Game programs; Play Together family sport initiatives; youth soccer development programs; martial arts and fitness training programs in partnership with Kiwassa; and social integration programs for newcomer seniors. This phase significantly expanded ALZAHRA’s impact into a national-level refugee integration and sport-for-development organization in Canada.
INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND RECOGNITION
ALZAHRA has been invited to and actively participated in major international platforms, reflecting its growing global recognition. In 2023, the organization participated in the United Nations ECOSOC Conference in New York, contributing to global discussions on social development, refugee inclusion, and community empowerment. In the same year, it was invited to the Islamic Development Bank Conference in Jeddah, engaging in international dialogue on sustainable development and social innovation. In 2025, ALZAHRA was invited to the MOVE Congress organized by the International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA) in Denmark, where it was recognized as a leading refugee-led sport- for-development organization. In 2025, it also participated in the World Summit for Social Development in Doha, contributing to global policy discussions on inclusion and social cohesion. These engagements position ALZAHRA as an internationally recognized organization in the field of sport-for-development and social innovation.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
ALZAHRA has received multiple international awards and recognitions, including: Refugee-Led Organization Award – International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA), Denmark (2025) Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Award – Government of British Columbia (2024) Merit Award – Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (2023) Recognition as a Successful Afghan Entrepreneur – Presented by Laura Bush (2015) GLOBAL REBRANDING AND FUTURE VISION (2026) In 2026, the organization officially returned to its original identity and rebranded as ALZAHRA Sport International Society. This rebranding marks a strategic transformation from a nationally operating organization into a globally positioned sport-for-development platform. The long-term vision of ALZAHRA is to build an integrated global ecosystem that combines sport, wellness, leadership, education, innovation, and entrepreneurship for social impact. This ecosystem includes future initiatives such as: ALZAHRA Wellness Studio ALZAHRA International Cup ALZAHRA Innovation Hub Sport academies and international programs
IMPACT SUMMARY (2009–2026)
Over more than 16 years of continuous work, ALZAHRA has achieved measurable impact across Afghanistan and Canada: 40+ major programs implemented Thousands of women, youth, refugees, and children directly supported 3,000+ women and girls reached in Afghanistan 1,900+ refugees and newcomers supported in Canada 20+ national and international partners engaged Continuous programming across two countries and multiple sectors
CLOSING STATEMENT
From a pioneering women’s sport initiative in Afghanistan in 2009 to an internationally recognized refugee-led organization in Canada, ALZAHRA represents a continuous journey of resilience, leadership, and social transformation. The organization remains committed to a simple but powerful belief: Sports create opportunities. Martial arts build confidence. Education builds leadership skills. Communities create lasting changes.