Syrian family builds hope through taekwondo at Azraq refugee camp

From left, Syrian refugees Doaa Al-Ayoub, 8, Muhammad Al-Ayoub, 46, Othman Al-Ayoub, 16, and Rena Al-Ayoub, 12, pose in taekwondo uniforms at the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, Saturday. The four Al-Ayoubs reached taekwondo's highest grade of black belt at the camp's taekwondo academy established by World Taekwondo and Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation while taking shelter at the facility since 2016. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

'Taekwondo breaks down all barriers between people'

By Lee Hae-rin

AZRAQ, Jordan ― Taekwondo runs in the six-member Al-Ayoub family from Syria and offers a chance for a better life within and outside the refugee camp where they have lived since 2016.

The family fled from a rural village in their homeland Syria to neighboring Jordan at the outbreak of the civil war. While taking shelter at the Azraq refugee camp, established and managed by the Jordanian government and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees 100 kilometers east of the capital Amman, the family found the traditional Korean martial art to be an "outlet in which we feel comfortable" Muhammad Al-Ayoub, 45, told The Korea Times in Arabic via a written interview, Tuesday.

The first family member to learn taekwondo was the eldest daughter, Shaima, who is now 18 years old and hopes to study medicine. Since she started training at the camp's academy in 2016, the family witnessed how she improved her physical and psychological well-being and learned patience, discipline and positivity through training.

"It helped her to refine her personality. It adjusted her mood," her father said, noting that the sport also helped her to make friends. His 16-year-old son, Othman, also said taekwondo fostered his older sister's physical and psychological well-being and taught her sportsmanship.

It took little time for taekwondo to become a family custom for the Al-Ayoub household, which has always loved inner and outer peace, in the younger Al-Ayoub's words. "We are a sports family par excellence," he said, explaining that they all hold black belts now.

His younger brother, Rema, is an ambitious 12-year-old with a second-dan black belt in taekwondo, who is in the process of completing his studies. Rema aims to become a taekwondo Olympian and an international coach and referee one day. His younger sister Doaa, 8, is a child prodigy in taekwondo who became the youngest refugee taekwondo practitioner to earn her first-dan black belt at the age of six in 2021. She acquired her second dan last month.

Syrian taekwondo athlete Doaa Al-Ayoub, left, spars with another Syrian refugee during the annual Hope and Dreams Taekwondo Championships at Prince Hamzah Hall in Amman, Jordan, Monday. Al-Ayoub became the youngest refugee taekwondo athlete to obtain a black belt at the age of six in 2021. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

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The father works at the camp's taekwondo academy as an assistant to coach Asif Sabah who trains young Syrian taekwondo athletes and leads the sports grassroots movement, which he finds fulfilling and meaningful.

"I feel like a child sharing their dreams, providing them with psychological support and accepting their curiosity … The world of children is hard to explain but exciting, fun and worthwhile," he said.

Although the mother does not practice martial arts, she is the "unknown soldier who stands behind every member of our family," the father said. She fully supports the family's sports engagements by organizing the children's studying and training schedules and encouraging them to discipline their minds and bodies.

Taekwondo not only "brings joy to the heart and gets rid of negative energy," but also provides a sense of connection with the outside world, according to the younger Al-Ayoub. "Regardless of one's language, color and religion, taekwondo breaks down all barriers between people … and brings them together in one taekwondo family," the son said.

The Al-Ayoub family is among the hundreds of Syrian refugees training in taekwondo at the Azraq camp's Humanitarian Sports Center established in 2016 by Choue Chung-won, the president of World Taekwondo (WT) and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF). The academy aims to spread the Olympian values of peace and courage and empower refugees and displaced people through sports.

Sixty-nine young Syrian athletes sheltered at the camp have already obtained black belts, according to WT.

Asif Sabah, left, a coach at Azraq refugee camp taekwondo academy, and Syrian refugee Othman Al-Ayoub, right, demonstrate flying kicks while Muhammad Al-Ayoub, center, poses at the Humanitarian Sports Center of Azraq refugee camp during the inaugural Hope and Dreams Sports Festival, last Saturday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Taekwondo lets people like the Al-Ayoub family achieve their hopes and dreams and emerge from the difficult reality they face.

"My wish for the future is to see peace come to all humanity," the younger Al-Ayoub said, adding that he aspires to continue his studies and training until he joins and integrates with the outside world someday. He said he also aims to compete in the Olympics as a taekwondo athlete and expressed gratitude to his father, coach Sabah and Choue for their support.

"My dreams are like every father and head of the family. I want my children to complete their education, live in a safe environment and find a better life for themselves," the elder Al-Ayoub said. "Dreams are many and the road to the future is bumpy. It is dark and the source is closed. I wish to see my children become fluent in English. And if they are successful and good individuals … they will enjoy peace like the rest of the world's children."

The Al-Ayoub family poses in front of the Humanitarian Sports Center at Azraq refugee camp in Jordan during the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul