Yolande Mabika, 28, is from the eastern area of Democratic Republic of Congo, the region that suffered the most during Congo's 1996-2003 wars. She was separated from her parents as a young child, eventually picked up by a helicopter and taken to a home for displaced children in Congo's capitol of Kinshasa. Her judo skills won her a place on Congo's national team.

“Judo never gave me money, but it gave me a strong heart. I got separated from my family and used to cry a lot. I started judo to have a better life,” she said, according to UNHRC. 

But like her teammate, Popole Misenga, Mabika suffered at the hands of abusive coaches who would not feed her if she did not medal. During the 2013 world championships in Brazil, she slipped away from her team and sought political asylum in that country. Mabika's dream for Rio is to tell her story, and possibly reunite with her family.

“My message to the refugees of the world would be not to give up on hope and to keep believing, to have faith in their hearts.” —Yolande Mabika, Rio2016.com