Dubai-based Egyptian athlete, mountaineer, Nike Running Ambassador and women’s rights activist Manal embodies our ethos of ‘inspiration with impact’ having used her ideas and positivity to change perceptions and lives around the world. |
How does one woman take her personal experience and idea and transform it into a global women’s rights community and movement with true social impact?
In her talks, which she has given to the likes of Facebook, Nike and TedX, Egyptian athlete and activist Manal Rostom shares the answer to this question to inspire individuals and organisations to make positive changes and achieve their goals.
On 16 May 2022, Manal achieved her 15-year dream and became the first Egyptian woman in the world to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
The topics and themes Manal explores include:
- women’s rights
- making positive change
- setting and achieving goals
- building communities
- breaking down barriers
- the endurance mindset
Manal is the founder of Surviving Hijab, a renowned women-only Facebook Group which helps defy stereotypes and empower women who wish to wear the hijab as a sign of faith.
Launched in 2014, the group now has more than 1 million members – and in 2019 Manal was invited to give a speech at Facebook’s headquarters in California to share her story.
The group – and all her work as an activist and speaker since – focuses on sharing messages around breaking down barriers, inclusivity, changing perceptions, and tolerance.
Surviving Hijab has led Manal on a journey which saw her become the first hijabi model for Nike and collaborate with Nike in 2017 to launch the Pro Hijab, a performance hijab. In 2019, she featured in Nike’s global ‘Dream Crazier’ campaign.
Manal has achieved many firsts for Arab and Egyptian women on her remarkable journey; the first Hijabi woman to model in a Nike Running campaign; the first Arab to be featured in an audio guided run on the Global Nike Run Club app; the first Egyptian woman to run the Great wall of China Marathon in 2016; the first Egyptian woman to summit Mont Blanc in 2018 and the first Egyptian woman to summit Mount Everest in 2022.
Among her many goals, she is currently bidding to become the first Egyptian to finish the world’s six major marathons and the world’s seven highest summits.
Manal, who spent several years working in the pharmaceutical industry, currently lives in Dubai, UAE. After quitting her job as a pharmacist, she now splits her time between being a personal trainer, fitness instructor, mountaineer, marathon runner, Nike Run Club Coach and international public speaker.
Named one of “Arabian Business Women of Influence in the Arab World for 2021”, and “Africa’s top 50 most powerful women” by Forbes in 2020, Manal has followed her passion and found her purpose.
