Giving back to society is what Sayra Aarts’ entrepreneurship journey is all about. Read about how she is paying forward what she learned throughout her sporting career.
Sayra Aarts is a Dutch former high performance Karateka. As a member of the Dutch National karate team, she represented the Netherlands at countless European and World Championships. Ever since she was young, she had been fighting for the national championship title throughout all the different age groups. With over 250 victories of which several National and European Championship successes, she is looking back on her sporting career with a great feeling of pride.
Nevertheless, titles and medals were not the only things she was taking from karate. The sport provided her with good physical as well as mental health, self-confidence, resilience, discipline, the ability to focus and dedication. All these are of great benefit in her daily life and life after her professional sporting career.
Much more than a sport
Because of the fact that karate gave Sayra so much, she decided to start a business together with former high performance judoka Kitty Bravik: Budo Top Nederland. It is an organisation that helps children learn karate and judo and a way for her to transfer her knowledge and share her experiences with the younger generation.
“I am proud that, through social entrepreneurship, I am able to create a safe(r) environment for children who could use a little more help.During the training I witnessed that the sport can mean so much more for the children. Next to developing their athletic and social development, it also provided the possibility to solve social problems like bullying, aggression, violence, overweight and school dropouts.”
We are happy to announce that Sayra will support the athletes in our training course as an AtLAS mentor on their entrepreneurial journey. The course kicks off in autumn 2021, details will be published soon.