Saudi Woman Makes History by Reaching Everest Summit

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.

"I really don't care about being the first," she is quoted as saying. "So long as it inspires someone else to be second."

Source: Arabs On Top of the World 

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 $1m (£660,000) for education projects in Nepal.

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

Coming from 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 Ms Moharrak's family to agree to her climb "was as great a challenge as the mountain itself", though they fully support her now.

For more info on Raha's climb check out the Arabs on Top of the World Facebook page or their website Arabsontopoftheworld.com.

Originally published on BCC