Rabat – The seventh Sahraouiya Women Challenge for Solidarity will take place in Dakhla, Morocco from March 13-20.
The association “Dakhla Lagoon for the development of sport and cultural animation” and the Dakhla Attitude group are hosting a sport challenge to promote women’s empowerment and solidarity. Women from different regions of Morocco as well as from some African and European countries are set to take part in the event.
Sahraouiya celebrates female solidarity by providing women with the opportunity to challenge themselves, work in teams, and give back to their communities.
This year, 80 women from Morocco, along with others from Mali, Rwanda, Ghana, Belgium, and France, will take part in the challenge.
Women participate in teams of two and go through the challenges together. The winning team gets to donate their prize to non-profit associations.
The week of the challenge includes a BootCamp which is a fun and strategic obstacle course with walls to climb, obstacles to jump, ropes, and pushing tires. A Bike and Run challenge, where the team must stay together while one rides a bike and the other runs, follows. The participants then compete in a trail challenge at nighttime.
On the last day of the challenge, the participants have to row to and from Dragon Island to take part in the orientation race.
Apart from being a sporting event, it is a tool for solidarity and diplomacy that relates to Morocco’s growing interest in expanding its relations with its African partners.
The event additionally promotes the southern region of Morocco as a vibrant and active part of the country. It also puts it on the map as a region of international cooperation.
“Sport becomes, through Sahraouiya, a vector of affirmation of women, regardless of their origins or culture, while combining physical activities, emotions and discovery of a region that defies the most beautiful landscapes in the world,” said a statement by the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation.
Sahraouiya has become a social platform that promotes solidarity and civic engagement. It provides financial support to associations in need. It also engages with different partners in volunteering activities.
In partnership with several companies and institutions, in 2019, Sahraouiya was able to donate over MAD 110,000 ($12,000) to associations supporting women and children with cancer, single mothers, women in precarious situations, and more. These notably include Association du Ruban Rose (The Pink Ribbon Association and Association Solidarite Feminine and Association Robert-Debre.
