South Sudanese NBA scouter Sarah Chan Named Among BBC’s 100 Women 2022 List

The BBC has revealed its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2022. Former South Sudanese professional basketball player and NBA scouter Sarah Chan has been named as one of those women.

🎉 The #BBC100Women 2022 list is out! 🎉

Featuring @MsSarahChan

To find out more go to: https://t.co/J8mzze7CN5 pic.twitter.com/W1dpypyePo

— BBC 100 Women (@BBC100women) December 6, 2022

The inspirational women rights activist is now mentoring teenagers and teaching them the sport in South Sudan and Kenya. She is also the first female manager of scouting in Africa for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors basketball team. In addition, Chan founded Home At Home/Apediet Foundation, an NGO that combats early-age marriages, advocates for education, and uses sports to educate young people.

To God be the glory, for enabling us.#Gratitude

Article link: https://t.co/sOCwqtlusU pic.twitter.com/cqROhPmMLP

— Sarah Chan (@MsSarahChan) December 7, 2022

The list also includes global music phenomenon Billie Eilish, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, actresses Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Selma Blair, the ‘tsarina of Russian pop’ Alla Pugacheva, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, record-breaking triple jump athlete Yulimar Rojas, and Ghanaian author Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah.

🚨 The #BBC100Women 2022 list is out 🚨

It features inspiring and influential women from all around the world.https://t.co/cRye2pTP5W pic.twitter.com/ePC5sNLuT6

— BBC 100 Women (@BBC100women) December 6, 2022

Born in Sudan in 1986, Chan fled Sudan to Kenya with her family in 1998 during the second Sudanese Civil War, which is a continuation of the Sudanese Civil War, the longest civil war in history that has left at least four million South Sudanese displaced. She grew up in Kenya at a theological seminary where she began to play basketball in 2004. She would eventually enroll at Union University at Tennessee where she majored in History and minored in Political Science and secured a basketball scholarship. She then received a master’s degree from the United States International University (USIU) in 2007 where she would play a critical role in the basketball team. She studied International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, fueled by the war her country had gone through, she sought to understand what possible solutions she could offer.

Chan played professional basketball in Europe in countries such as Spain and Portugal, and in Africa in countries such as Tunisia, Angola and Mozambique. Chan also participated in two back-to-back Fiba Africa Women’s Club Championships in 2015 and 2017.

The #BBC100Women season is now in its 10th year, the theme of 2022 is “progress” and it will reflect on the changes of the past decade.

It includes a week of interviews, documentaries and features.https://t.co/Jr5xFofjo2

— BBC 100 Women (@BBC100women) December 6, 2022

This is the 10th season of 100 Women, so BBC is taking the opportunity to explore what progress has been made over the last decade. ‘While there have been huge steps forward for women’s rights – from the number of female leaders to the #MeToo movement – for women in many corners of the world it still feels like there is a long way to go,’ said the BBC.

‘The list also reflects the role of women at the heart of conflict around the world in 2022 – from the protesters bravely demanding change in Iran, to the female faces of conflict and resistance in Ukraine and Russia,’ said the BBC. For the first time this year, BBC has also asked previous 100 Women to nominate others who they felt deserved a place on the 2022 list.

To see the full BBC 100 Women 2022 list, click here.