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Join on Telegram Rabat – The ninth edition of the Sahraouiya Raid is underway in the southern Moroccan province of Dakhla. The event running from February 1-11 encourages women in sports by emphasizing the mental and physical benefits of sport.
The Sahraouiya Raid is an organization based around a simple yet poignant message of “women and solidarity.”
On their official website, they describe the annual event as a “multisport raid of discovery and sharing.” They added: “Atypical sports courses, challenge, team spirit, [and] self-transcendence will leave unforgettable memories for the participants.”
While the annual event takes place in different regions, every year there is always an event in Dakhla, to allow participants to explore the Moroccan region.
In comments to Morocco’s national press agency (MAP), Ambassador for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and former basketball player Emilie Gomis spoke positively of this year’s edition of the Sahraouiya Raid.
Gomis explained that setting up more sports facilities in each neighborhood would encourage women to use the equipment. Having this open accessibility would make women feel more “at ease,” as they will be in a natural environment that is built around them, she emphasized.
The retired athlete also stressed Morocco’s King Mohammed VI’s support for the project, noting the monarch is a sponsor of the ninth edition. As the event centers itself around building connections while being active, the Olympic ambassador said, “getting together with girls allows us to be more united and to have moments of sharing outside of competition.”
A good cause
Money raised by the organization goes to “Radia,” a Marrakech-based nonprofit that supports orphans. Gomis named the charity as “something that touches me and moves me personally.”
Created in Marrakech in 2016, Radia takes care of infants from birth to 2 years-old; most of the children they take in have been abandoned on the street. The charity helps find accommodation with foster families for the children as well as other necessities such as medical attention.
In addition to the important work supporting vulnerable children, Sahraouiya Raid started a hashtag on its social media platforms “#breakfreewithSahraouiya” — the campaign aims to combat violence against women and children.
The Raid
A total of 600 participants from over 20 different nationalities are participating in this year’s event. The raid is a series of physical activities designed to bring its women participants together. Some of the planned exercises are a boot camp with a challenging obstacle course preparing the women for following physically demanding activities.
Then there is the “run and bike event” which is always completed in pairs, where the participants must remain side by side, alternating between running and mountain biking as they wish.
Another main fixture is the trail race which is completed through the day and night. In what is normally more of a solitary sport, the organization has ensured the participants run as a team.
Among the many other sporting challenges is an abseiling activity and canoeing.
Moroccan roots
Behind the organization is the “godmother” the late Aicha Chenna, a Moroccan activist who passed away on September 25, 2022. Chenna was the “heart” of the association since its first edition, as their website explains.
Since the first edition of Sahraouiya, it has contributed MAD 150,000 ($14,669.00) to the charity Women Solidarity.
Before her passing Chenna expressed great positivity and enthusiasm about the organization and its objectives. “I am not able to swim and do all the stages of the challenge due to my age, but I can say that Sahraouiya is proof that women can resist and fight for social justice and their rights,” she stated.
