Samsam and Mohamed Shine for Somalia

This article, written by Brent Hines, appeared on The Huffington Post on August 03,2012

Samsam and Mohamed's is an Olympic story most people won't get to hear. They may not even get the chance to compete in London. But, for me, their story is the most inspiring at this summer's Olympics. I'm their biggest fan.

I first saw the two Somali Olympians in a photo. At a stadium only half-standing after two decades of civil war -- walls pocked with bullet holes -- the Somali Olympic trials were underway. On a dirt track, Samsam Farah edged her teammate to grab the ladies' spot on the team. Her neon laces glowed but the bottoms of her shoes were worn flat. Mohamed Mohamed won his race, too. In the photo, he was perched on a pile of rubble, tying up his well-worn racing spikes.

Now, I'm in London at the 30th Olympiad, covering the Somali Olympic team for the worldwide I AM A STAR community. The I AM A STAR campaign partners with the worldwide Somali diaspora and their neighbors around the world to change the global narrative on Somalia while providing lifesaving relief to families in Somalia. The I AM A STAR community has succeeded in securing critical food, water and medical care for tens of thousands of families in Somalia over the last 12 months.

READ MORE AT The Huffington Post

*Photo Credit: John Lamb