Ferrino: mountains accessible to Pakistani women
Ferrino and Mountain Wilderness: a mountain course dedicated to Pakistani girls
Ferrino is excited to announce a partnership with the Women’s Mountain Course in the Swat region of Pakistan, an initiative sponsored by the Asian Desk of Mountain Wilderness, the Italian Academic Alpine Club (CAAI) and the International Association for Mediterranean and Eastern Studies (ISMEO). This project has been a great success since its first edition in 2022, attracting the interest of the media and local authorities, and now enjoys the official patronage of the government of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The second edition of the course will be held in April 2024 and will be reserved for Swat girls. Anna Ferrino, CEO of the company, stresses the importance of the initiative for the promotion of mountain communities and women’s empowerment, key issues for Ferrino. The course, hosted by Government Postgraduate College for Girls, aims to provide participants with the skills needed to lead nature hikes, concluding with the awarding of a certificate. The team of instructors is composed entirely of women, from Italy, Catalonia and Pakistan, with expertise in climbing, mountaineering, mountain rescue, archaeology, environmentalism and Gandhara Buddhist art, under the direction of Prof. Carlo Alberto Pinelli.
Patrizia Romagnolo, CAI national free-climbing instructor, explains how the project stems from the need to establish a protected area in the Swat region of Pakistan, with the aim of preserving the territorial heritage and promoting local vocational training, especially among women. The course offered aims to familiarize the participants with the area through hiking, climbing and the study of artistic and archaeological monuments in order to make them competent guides for future generations. The decision to compose an exclusively female team of instructors is intended to challenge local gender divisions by promoting women’s empowerment. Partnering with outdoor brands such as Ferrino is essential to ensure access to quality equipment and support the cause of environmental conservation. The project aspires for recognition and support at the school and government levels to ensure its continuity and expansion of opportunities for young women in the region.
