Sahraouiya Solidarity Race To Support Moroccan Associations

Rabat – The Moroccan multi-sport competition, Sahraouiya Solidarity Race, is set to take place in Dakhla between February 26 and March 5. 100 women from Morocco and abroad will participate in the 8th edition to finance Moroccan associations and promote sustainable development in the country’s southern provinces.

“Sahraouiya is the 1st female nature and solidarity raid in the southern provinces, which contributes to the promotion of the Dakhla destination as a hub of ecological sports, but also to participate in the empowerment of women in general and the development of the provinces of South through sports and solidarity activities,” says the tournament’s website.

Annually, the race has supported associations working with women and children with cancer, single mothers, and women in precarious situations. The associations’ list include Solidarité Féminine, Les Amis du Ruban Rose, El Amane, SOS Villages d’Enfants, Sourire de Reda, Joud, Insaf, Bab Rayane, Ihssan, Kirikou, and EMA Enfance Maghreb Avenir.

The Sahraouiya race has allocated a total budget of MAD 150,000 ($15,924) and MAD 80,000 ($8,493) for Solidarité Féminine (Female Solidarity) and Les Amis du Ruban Rose (Friends of Pink Ribbon) alone. The 8th edition of the Sahraouiya race will be marked with the participation of Moroccan women as well as female volunteers from France, Spain, Portugal, Cameroon, Colombia, Mali, Madagascar, South Sudan, Ghana, Rwanda, Israel, Saint Lucia, and Senegal.

The participants will compete in five events, namely treasure hunt, boot camp race, bike and run race, trail race, and Orienteering race. While most events challenge the women’s physical capabilities, sense of orientation, and teamwork, the treasure hunt is both a mental exercise and an opportunity to discover Dakhla and connect with the local population.

Since 2018, the Sahraouiya race has committed to crowdfunding operations. In 2018 and 2019, the event collected a total of MAD 150,700 ($15,999) and MAD 170,700 ($18,122).

The donations went to the acquisition of equipment for the pediatric department of the Hassan II hospital in Dakhla and for Leglat primary school in the Dakhla region as well as the opening of the Krikou kindergarten in Rabat for Moroccan and sub-Saharan children from extremely low-income households.