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Our team will be attempting the crossing of the Lut Desert of Iran in November 2016 and we hope to become the first all-female team in history to do so.
In Persian ‘Lut’ means ‘emptiness,’ it is home to the hottest recorded spot on the Earth’s surface. Marco Polo travelled through it around 1271, as did British explorer, Wilfred Thesiger, in 1964 — but both used camels, we will be on foot.
This WOAM expedition has for objective to raise $ 100,000 SGD for Women for Women International (WfWI) – an independent humanitarian organisation, which provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency.
Since 1993, WfWI have supported over 420,000 of the most socially-excluded women survivors of war in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo; and their work has never been more pressing than it is today. With the rise of extremist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram, the women that they serve live in some of the world’s most dangerous places. Where extremism and conflict take root, the livelihoods, freedoms, and security of individuals suffer – and it is women and children who bear the brunt. Yet when given the tools, resources and knowledge to access livelihoods and protect their rights, WfWI know that women can literally transform their families, communities – and ultimately their nations.
This is where they help. Through their 12-month programme, women learn about their rights, as well as key life skills (such as health, managing their finances, how to build social networks for business and emotional support). They also learn vocational and business skills to access livelihoods and break free from poverty. Communities are not, of course, made up of just women and because the whole community benefits when everyone in the community is involved, WfWI work hard to engage men in their programmes. Men are powerful advocates for women’s empowerment, breaking down prejudices and practices, which prevent women from reaching their potential. http://www.womenforwomen.org.uk
By trekking in such challenging conditions, WOAM hopes to bring international attention to the need for societies, governments and corporations to get involved and help end violence against women. The team passionately feels this reality can no longer be tolerated, in any form, in any context, and by anyone around the globe.
Ultimately, WOAM’s objective is to inspire women to want to leave their comfort zone, their families and homes for a certain period of time, while pushing their limits in an effort to rally support for a worthy cause. At the core of their culture is a passion for adventure and a deep respect and love of nature. We seek to travel and explore the world, and as a result make new discoveries, flourish as individuals, and most important, contribute to society, while championing the cause of women around the world.
