FIVB FoundationVolleyball Foundation
Three leaders from the FIVB Volleyball Foundation on sport’s ability to empower – where impact can begin with something simple: a girl who feels seen and knows she belongs
FIVB Volleyball Foundation team members have shared powerful words of inspiration – offering insight, experience and a clear vision for the important role volleyball can play in empowering women and girls worldwide.
These insights come from three influential leaders and role models from within the Volleyball Foundation team: President HRH Princess Ayah Bint Faisal, Honorary Board Member and Cuban volleyball legend Alejandrina Mireya Luis Hernández and Executive Director Victoria Nussbaumer.
Their perspectives highlight how volleyball can empower, inspire confidence and have a lasting impact for women and girls worldwide.
For HRH Princess Ayah Bint Faisal, one moment stands out:
“One moment that stays with me is a site visit to a programme run by Generations For Peace and supported by the FIVB Volleyball Foundation. When the session began, the girls were shy and some could barely hold the ball. At the end, we sat together in a circle passing the ball to one another, and each girl shared something she had taken from the programme.
“The comment that really impacted me was a girl who simply said she felt seen and that she belonged. To take part in the session and watch that transformation unfold in real time was incredibly powerful.”
For Alejandrina Mireya Luis Hernández, three-time Olympic champion and one of volleyball’s greatest ever players, the message to the next generation is clear:
“To the young women who dream of achieving greatness in volleyball: believe in yourselves, work hard every single day and never give up. Dreams do not come true by chance – they are built through discipline, sacrifice and passion. If you love this beautiful sport and fight for it, anything is possible.”
And for Victoria Nussbaumer, creating lasting impact through volleyball requires both purpose and structure:
“Lasting impact in sport-based projects depends on strong community ownership, clear objectives linked to development outcomes, robust monitoring and evaluation systems, and long-term sustainability mechanisms. It is also important that projects are inclusive by design, particularly in engaging girls and underserved communities in collaboration with local stakeholders.”
Together, these women reflect a shared belief: that volleyball can make a meaningful, positive difference to the lives of women and girls. And sometimes, that impact begins with something simple – a girl who feels seen and knows she belongs.
