Sole Sisters was founded in order to provide opportunities for Scottish Muslim girls and women to get out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves in the outdoors. Often times, if you haven’t had much experience exploring Scotland’s nature and trying outdoor activities it can be quite daunting for the first time. Halima Hussein, the founder of this group, said the main reason she set this group up was to create a safe space for likeminded girls to get together and try new things. She said,
''Being from the same faith allows us to connect to the outdoors on a different wavelength, where we are able to accommodate walks around prayers times and still connect with nature, not just physically, but also in a spiritual sense.''
She said, Sole Sisters is still a relatively new group, with one main aim being to build connections with different outdoor groups, to help diversity Scotland's outdoors. The group wants to help create representation for all faiths and cultures for a more inclusive natural space in Scotland. Collaborating with other outdoor groups will provide learning opportunities for each other and will allow people to be more open minded when in the outdoors.
Although there are amazing Muslim women who are physically active in Scotland, sharing their adventures, there is still a lack of representation for young Muslim girls in the outdoors and a space where they can come together to go for an adventure. Showcasing and providing opportunities for young Muslim girls, such as Sole Sisters, has allowed people like Halima, to keep motivated and engaged in being physically active.
Sara Naveed, who is a member of the group and also a member of the sportscotland Young People Sport Panel, said,
''The atmosphere and people I have met from Sole Sisters has honestly changed my life, in every aspect of life. It is such an inspiring and inclusive space, where I feel safe and accepted.''
