- Shahab vows to continue her close friend's charitable work helping underprivileged children in Egypt
JEDDAH: A Saudi mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest this year has described how her commitment to her late friend’s charity helped drive her to the top of the world’s highest mountain.
Mona Shahab reached the highest point of the world on May 23 as part of a team of Arab women.
In an emotional video published this week, the mountaineer breaks down as she describes how her close friend and fellow mountaineer Marwa Fayed died in 2013 after complications during childbirth.
Shahab vowed to continue Fayed’s charitable work helping underprivileged children in Egypt, and used her Everest ascent to raise money for the cause.
“I’m doing it to help Marwa Fayed’s Toy Run give 300 children in underprivileged areas in Egypt a chance to be change agents in their communities,” Shahab says in the video posted by filmmaker and mountaineer Elia Saikaly, who documented their ascent.
In an interview with Arab News days before her successful ascent, Shahab spoke about how she hoped her ascent would inspire Saudi women.
“Saudi women can, Saudi women will, reach whatever heights they set their mind and heart to,” she said.
To help Shahab reach her fundraising goal, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/Everest-for-365-Deeds-Forward