A member of Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah, the 13-year-old summits Tokubal Peak
11 of Sajaya’s Young Ladies Raise the UAE flag on the tallest peak in Maghreb
After six days of trekking and climbing in the kingdom of Morocco, 13-year-old Asmaa Al Qayedi, has established herself as the youngest Emirati girl to have summited the highest peak in all of Maghreb – Tokubal, the tallest peak in the Atlas Mountain Range boasting an elevation of 4,167 metres.
In a special ceremony held yesterday (Thursday, April 26), Sajaya Young Ladies (SYL) of Sharjah, who organised this great expedition, honoured all 11 of its young members who were part of this adventure. The journey took the girls on a trek through Marrakesh and the village of Imlil, before they began ascending Toubkal in southwestern Morocco.
Asma, who was also the youngest member of the Sajaya team on this climb, has given the UAE a new athletic achievement in the field of women’s sports. Upon reaching the summit, the young mountaineers cherished a proud moment for their organisation and their country by hoisting Sajaya and UAE flags on the Tokubal peak.
The honouring ceremony was organised at the SYL HQ, and attended by Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Sports Council; Sheikha Aisha Khalid Al Qasimi, Director of Sajaya Young Ladies; Waleed Bukhater, the vice chairman of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Bukhater Group; Lau Samuel of Kingston Management; and famous Emirati adventurer, Saeed Al-Ma’amari.
On the occasion, Sheikha Aisha of SYL said: “In organising this expedition, our aim was to build the first Emirati girls’ team specialised in hiking and mountaineering, in line with our vision to promote awareness of the importance of sports for girls, increase their abilities to discover themselves and achieve their goals, and focus on their holistic development by offering them unique and innovative avenues of exploration and creativity.”
“Through this special celebration, we want to express to our young adventurers how proud we are of them for achieving this big feat, and how happy we were to see them apply all the values they are taught here at Sajaya – determination, patience and confidence – every step of the way on this challenging journey. In summiting the highest peak in Arab region, our young climbers have not only added a new laurel to the UAE’s achievements, but also come a long way in fortifying their minds, bodies and souls,” she added.
The six-day expedition organised by the adventure club of SYL, and sponsored by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bukhater Group and Kingston Management, was undertook from 20 to 25 April, and saw a team of 11 girls in the 13- to 18-year age group participating. As part of their preparations, they underwent intensive training and climbing challenges including the wall at the Sajaya Sports Complex, mountain climbing in the Shoka Valley, kayaking in Hatta, and a mountain challenge in Wadi Galila.
The adventure club is part of Sajaya Young Ladies, launched in 2016 under the slogan “to the furthest limit”. It was established with the aim to promote teamwork skills, endurance to face various challenges and be independent. It is a space where young adolescents and adults come in for weekly training sessions to for physical and mental fitness.
Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah is a leading organisation dedicated to developing the talents of young girls in the age group of 13-18 years in all creative spheres. Established in 2004 under the umbrella of Sharjah Children’s Centres before it became an independent entity in 2012 following an administrative decree issued by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators.
