Hijabi model scales peaks for charity
She strives to “just do it” and overcome challenges as her passion is driven by purpose — the purpose of helping those in need. Manal Rostom, 37, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2012 and was the first Egyptian hijabi to scale the highest mountain in Europe, Mount Elbrus in Russia. She is also the first Hijabi model featured in Nike advertisements. Manal believes that what makes her effort worthwhile is that she dedicates all her efforts to social causes. From representing women empowerment to helping Syrian refugees, children of Palestine, Nepal and her home country Egypt, Manal feels peace when she does things for those in need. That she says, is the driving force that keeps her motivated, and helps her complete challenges.
Manal moved to Dubai from Kuwait in 2011 after working for a pharmaceutical company for nine years. “I have been a runner since the age of 13, and I used to participate in 100m, 400m and 800m races at school and later at university.
Initially, for Manal, fitness was an addiction and she did adventure sports like mountaineering and running just to keep herself in shape. Her point of view changed after her first brush with charity where she raised funds for a charitable organisation in Egypt, backed by an adventure sports company.
“In 2012, I summited the highest peak of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, with an adventure company that was raising funds for an autistic centre in Egypt. I felt really good after that as it gave me an objective. I was summiting the mountain to give back to the community. It’s such a beautiful thing since it really added value to the adventure or challenge you took up.” She raised 20,000 Egyptian pounds.
“You don’t really know what it means until you start training for a challenge and raising funds for a cause, close to heart. From then on, I started doing fitness-based initiatives for different social causes.”
In 2013, Manal scaled Mount Kenya in Africa for a charity organisation for special needs kids in Egypt.
Manal ran her first marathon — 42km — in Dubai in 2014. She, backed by a few friends, was able to raise $3,500 which they used to build caravans and lodgings for Syrian refugees.
By January 2015, Manal had become the first Hijabi model to be featured in advertisements for the sportswear brand, Nike, representing Muslim women across the Middle East.
Being the first hijabi Arab woman to be featured for the ad campaign, Manal said: “I just want to inspire the younger generation, perhaps struggling with the same dilemma of wanting to embrace religion (wearing hijab) and at the same time fit in. This goes beyond being a new product that Nike is selling— it’s going to empower all women to embrace hijab and who they are.”
In the same year (2015), Manal also became the first Egyptian hijabi to reach the highest mountain in Europe – Mount Elbros in Russia. “We raised $5,000 to build the first pediatric cancer oncology unit in Palestine for kids.
The next year in May 2016, Manal achieved another memorable feat of becoming the first Egyptian woman to complete the Great China Wall Marathon.
“This one was for my friend who passed away in November 2015, when he was only 34. “He was the one who had actually got me hooked to long distance running and he loved plants. So to honour him, I took up this challenge. It was my first official international marathon and I decided to dedicate my challenge to planting trees around Egypt. We raised just about $1,000 which we used to buy plants that we put across the city.”
The latest climb Manal undertook was in September 2016, when she led a team to Everest Base camp in Nepal. “I was offered a fantastic opportunity to be sponsored by the Egyptian Travel Company. With them I was able to lead an expedition to the Mount Everest base camp in September of 2016.
“We raised money to rebuild a school in Sindhupalchok district, one of the worst hit districts of Nepal after the 8.1 magnitude earthquake in April, 2015. And we also distributed toys to an orphanage there,” she added.
Manal says she is passionate about causes related to cancer, special needs children, and Syria and Palestine issues.