00:01Power presents itself in many ways, though often one of the first that comes to mind
00:07is physical strength, sweat, grit, competition.
00:11Here in Senegal, athleticism reigns supreme.
00:15The massive beach run is what I can't quite understand.
00:21And it's traditional wrestling that is celebrated everywhere,
00:24though more specifically it is the male wrestlers who are celebrated.
00:28But we're here to meet a woman whose tenacity and skill inside the wrestling ring
00:32is gaining worldwide acclaim and inspiring a new generation of girls.
00:37Because the female fight is known, but it's not too known.
00:42But we would love that it would improve.
00:45It would help.
00:57Our story begins here, in the capital city of Dakar.
01:01We've just arrived in Senegal, where the national sport is wrestling.
01:05Here, wrestling is so much more than a sport.
01:08It's a tradition with really deep cultural roots.
01:10More popular than football, wrestling is almost a religious pursuit here.
01:15Called LAM, it's a cultural rite of passage that isn't just a sport.
01:19The centuries-old game has its origins in rural fishing villages and farms.
01:25It combines dancing, mysticism, and support from the entire community.
01:29To win is to honor your entire village.
01:33Today, sponsors and television broadcasts have brought the once rustic ritual to the masses.
01:39Champions make fortunes and become national celebrities.
01:43Yet, for the most part, women are on the sidelines.
01:48To get some perspective on a women's place here in the ring and outside of it,
01:52we meet up with Amnesty International Ambassador Amanatou Saar.
01:57We're here exploring what wrestling means to the culture here and how women are participating.
02:02But we also just want to know, like, what rights are they fighting for?
02:07There are lots of women who are still not going to school.
02:10There are lots of girls who are not going to school.
02:13There are still lots of early marriage and forced marriage.
02:17And, of course, there are lots of issues on even controlling your own body,
02:21having control over your sexuality, having control over your, if I may say, contraception.
02:29These are still very taboo issues.
02:31If you could describe what cynicalese women are like, how would you describe them?
02:34Ha! The most beautiful, brilliant, they are so bright and so open.
02:42They are not that shy.
02:45What's your name?
02:46My name's Alison. What's your name?
02:49Frances.
02:49Frances.
02:50Frances, that's a beautiful name.
02:57Frances.
02:59I admire many of the women that I see in this country.
03:02When you see this, even single poor woman selling fish or selling peanuts,
03:08the way that she would just stand, taking care of her own life.
03:12If we want to be taken seriously, we need to be active,
03:17we need to get involved, and we need to stand for our own rights.
03:21Nobody will do it on our behalf.
03:22So I would say that the Senegalese women are very brave,
03:27and they are fighters.
03:35How do you feel about female wrestlers?
03:38A lot of people will say, no, this is not how we would like to see women.
03:42If strong women don't fit into the framework, as we would say.
03:49Do you think that women participating in wrestling can be a tool for addressing gender equality?
03:57Definitely. There is no reason why they shouldn't wrestle.
04:01Because wrestling is part of our culture, why would women not be part of that?
04:08Isabel Sambu is one such champion whose achievements have made her
04:12a formidable role model internationally and at home.
04:16She's a five-time national champ, and at the London Olympics in 2012,
04:21she was just seconds away from bringing home the bronze.
04:25Now she's one of the eight international female ambassadors known as the Super Eight,
04:30who are promoting the sport to women and girls around the world.
04:35As part of her mission, Isabel has organized a very special event,
04:40an all-girls wrestling tournament in her hometown, and she's invited us to attend.
04:48So we're heading 200 miles south of Dakar to the region of Casamonts.
05:06The Tournament
05:07When we arrived, the opening celebrations for the tournament were already underway.
05:12It was just so clear that she held a position of high esteem amongst the village leaders.
05:17It really meant a lot to us that even in the midst of the festivities,
05:21she found time to have a chat about what wrestling really means to her.
05:24It changed a lot.
05:27It changed a lot in my life.
05:30When I was a domestic, a nounou, and I stopped to come to fight.
05:40I found something in the future.
05:44So it changed a lot in my life.
05:50The Wow.
06:14Ysabel was discovered at a wrestling match.
06:17just like this and it carried her to an international stage. It was beautiful to
06:23witness her paying it forward and organizing a tournament for young
06:27female wrestlers to be seen. Do you think it's important for more girls to join
06:32the sport?
07:05We were blown away and honestly a little intimidated by the grit that these young
07:10female wrestlers displayed.
07:50We were moved to see how the women rallied around Isabel and honored her as an
07:55outlier. We learned that Isabel's story is one of resilience and tenacity. She was
08:06orphaned as a small child and was raised by the women of the village. And now this
08:14community of women who raised her honor her as a hero and designate her a leader of
08:21the highest order.
08:22She was a little bit too.
08:56As the event begins to wind down, a few hundred yards from the center of town, we are invited
09:02to join Isabel and some of her star students amongst the ancient trees, a place considered
09:08sacred by the village.
09:22Finally, it seems it's our turn to step into the ring.
09:27We are dancing to the circle in a symbolic moment of acceptance that was both thrilling
09:34and humbling.
09:45As each person took their turn in the circle, we couldn't help but consider their future.
09:59Some of these girls may go on to be champions themselves, while others may choose a different
10:04path – politics, business, family.
10:08But meeting Isabel and watching these young contenders, one thing is clear – when girls
10:13are allowed to step in the ring, great things can happen.
10:17Do you think wrestling will help other young women become leaders in their communities?
10:22Yes, of course, of course, of course, they have already started.
10:30And whether they win or lose, giving girls the opportunity to be seen, stand tall and get
10:37in the ring would give them the confidence to realize their own worth and potential.
