Raha Moharrak: First Saudi woman and youngest Arab reaching Everest summit

Raha Moharrak is the first Saudi woman who has made history by reaching the summit of the world’s highest mountain.

Raha Moharrak, 25, not only became the first Saudi woman to attempt the climb but also the youngest Arab to make it to the top of Everest.

She is part of a four-person expedition that also includes the first Qatari man and the first Palestinian man attempting to reach the summit.

They are trying to raise $1 million for education projects in Nepal.

Originally from Jeddah, Raha Moharrak is a university graduate currently based in Dubai.

Coming from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia – a conservative Muslim country where women’s rights are very restricted – she had to break a lot of barriers to achieve her goal, her climb team said.

A biography on the expedition website said convincing Raha Moharrak’s family to agree to her climb “was as great a challenge as the mountain itself”, though they fully support her now.

“I really don’t care about being the first,” she is quoted as saying.

“So long as it inspires someone else to be second.”