Outward Bound unlocks the “superwoman” in Muslim wāhine
April 14, 2025
In February, fourteen Auckland based Muslim women went way out of their comfort zones to spend eight days in the wilds of Marlborough Sounds, kayaking, tramping and conquering their fears.
At the end of the first Outward Bound course designed specifically for this group of older Afghan, Iranian and Malaysian women, the ebullient Shafika Fayyaz, amplified the ecstatic mood of everyone in the group.
“In Afghanistan I was just a woman. Now I’m superwoman!” she exclaimed.
The Wonderful Wāhine Walkers at Outward Bound base camp.Shafika Fayyaz with her drawing of te taiao.
The rest of the group, mostly mums and grandmothers aged from their late 30s through to 60s, erupted in gales of affirmative laughter.
Despite back issues and blisters, cold ocean swims, waka ama-induced aching arms and the ghoulish sounds of opossums during the overnight solo camping challenge, these former refugees would go home to supportive families with challenges met and confidence gained.
Their husbands and children would know that if their own wāhine toa could step into an alien environment and triumph, they all can.
“NFACT is all about mental health, preventative health strategies, promoting leadership and empowerment. Outward Bound courses tick all those boxes,” says NFACT CEO, Dr Fahima Said.
Fahima and her friend Sue Petrie, a former Outward Bound instructor, came up with the idea. They were building on the enthusiasm of a group of NFACT-supported women who have been walking together for fitness and friendship for the last 18 months.
“We’re the Wonderful Wāhine Walkers,” says Fahima with unabashed pride.
Fahima and NFACT Operation Manager, Shalini Pillai are part of that group.
“We’re pioneers, the first group of older ethnic women to complete an Outward Bound course. And we had fun. So much laughter, so much fun.”
Fahima Saied, NFACT CEO, sitting left, with some of the women who completed the Outward Bound course.Sue Petrie with Fahima Saied, NFACT CEO.Fahima Saied with Shalini Pillai, NFACT Operations Manager on their way south.
Solid preparation for women breaking new ground at Outward Bound
Six months before flying from Auckland to Marlborough the Wonderful Wāhine Walkers upped their training. They included tramps in the Hunua ranges and on Rangitoto Island in their repertoire.
Sue went with them. She gave lessons on water safety and bush craft to prepare them for what was ahead.
“It gave us the confidence to keep going,” said Fahima.
The training wasn’t always easy. At times their resolve weakened but the group dynamic, their respect for Fahima and her belief in them, pushed them forward until they were on the plane and off on the adventure of a lifetime.
Women of resilience and strength
During the course, the women’s home base was the Outward Bound headquarters at Anakiwa at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound. Each day started with a physical training regime which included scaling some scary heights doing high rope activities. The women went sailing, learnt waka ama, and tramped over ridges and around inlets. They also slept one night in the bush, alone in their tents.
Most days ended back at Anakiwa with a cold-water swim.
Many of the women came to Aotearoa from land locked countries and had never learnt to swim. The thought of leaping off a jetty into deep, freezing-cold seawater was terrifying. By the last day they all agreed it was a breeze.
The two female instructors had access to a boat, in case the group needed to be reached quickly no matter where they were. This gave the women the option of returning to base if they wanted to, but none did.
Activities at Outward Bound also took the women out on the water, working together in new and challenging ways. By the end of the course, any obstacles had been overcome and all the women were in the waterThe women were kept busy, often ending the day with a swim in the ocean.
“We usually teach women resilience and strength,” said one of the Outward Bound instructors, “but this group didn’t need it”.
Fahima says the course has already had a positive effect on the women’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
“It teaches a different way of looking at difficult and challenging things.You learn that if you do it step by step, bit by bit, using your growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset, you can achieve your goals and good things can happen.”
Many of the activities took place in the beautiful forest around Anakiwa.The high ropes course presented unique and new challenges.
The women encountered new experiences, connecting with themselves and with each other in deep ways.The women planted a tōtara tree to commemorate their pioneering achievement.
Before leaving Anakiwa, the Wonderful Wāhine Walkers planted a tōtara tree in a predominantly kahikatea part of the bush for future generations to enjoy and to commemorate their pioneering adventure.
The instructors likened these Muslim women from varied and often difficult refugee backgrounds to the tōtara – a different tree, but still part of the beautiful forest in Aotearoa.
E Tū Whānau partners with NFACT to provide wraparound support to former refugees and people from refugee-like backgrounds who are new to Aotearoa New Zealand. NFACT is a long-term community partner of E Tū Whānau.
