Girls in Action! The Pakistani Mountaineers Conclude Intensive Training in Italy
On September 29, Mehrosh Althar, Maria Rahim and Mehwis Sayed – three young mountaineers from the high valleys of Swat and Chitral – flew back to Pakistan, closing a month‑long internship that may prove transformative for women’s outdoor culture in Pakistan. Their stay in Italy, organised by the Asian Desk of Mountain Wilderness International together with leading scientific and mountaineering institutions, unfolded across the Aosta Valley and Piedmont in three intensive chapters.
The programme, aptly titled Girls in Action!, opened with a week of advanced rock climbing, self‑rescue techniques and ice‑climbing progression. It then shifted to a deep dive into the climate crisis: theoretical sessions on the cryosphere paired with fieldwork, first‑aid training and high‑altitude medicine.
The final week brought the trio into the heart of the Gran Paradiso National Park, where they shadowed wildlife experts studying ibex, chamois, marmots and bearded vultures, learned to use camera traps, studied initiatives aimed at protecting alpine ecosystems, explored fragile wetlands, practised orienteering and discovered what it takes to manage a major protected area. Cóncep Miró from Mountain Wilderness Catalunya supported the three young women throughout the final week.
During their stay in Italy, several public meetings were organised, and there will be further events after their departure to present the project and its results, and to engage with the public in the coming months, including an evening event at the CAI section in Milan on 18 October.
Organisers say the internship exceeded expectations, thanks to the commitment of numerous instructors – many of them women – and the high‑level contribution of scientists who volunteered their time to offer the three trainees an experience with lasting impact.
Selected from a broader group of Pakistani women trained by Mountain Wilderness in responsible mountaineering and environmental stewardship, Mehrosh, Maria and Mehwish leave Italy with visible emotion. They are among the driving forces behind the Sheen Alpine Association, an all‑female initiative aimed at helping Pakistani women break free from rigid social roles through direct engagement with the mountains. The association was officially recognised just a couple of weeks ago by the government of Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa – a milestone within an already significant achievement.
On the eve of their departure, during a well‑attended event hosted by CAI Padua, the three mountaineers received certificates from the Franco Piovan Mountaineering School, the CNR and the Gran Paradiso National Park Authority.
This ambitious internship was made possible thanks to the support of Banca Sella Holding, Epitech, the Italian Academic Alpine Club, the CNR, the Montagna Sicura Foundation, the Italian Army, the Gran Paradiso National Park Authority, CAI Padua, the CAI sections of Pisa and Chivasso, and many donors. Special thanks go to SCARPA, Ferrino, Grivel, Rock Experience and Hdry for providing essential technical gear.