Twenty enthusiastic Guides between 12 to 15 years of age recently set off on an adventurous wildlife hiking expedition to Sir Baniyas Island in Abu Dhabi, organised as part of the third edition of Sharjah Girl Guides’ (SGG) ‘Under the Moonlight’ sleepover camp.

Held under the theme, ‘Discover the Wildlife of Sir Baniyas’, the two-day camp featured several resistance training and teambuilding exercises for the young Guides.

Shaikha Abdulaziz Al Shamsi, Assistant Manager at Sharjah Girl Guides, said: “As envisioned at the conclusion of the second camp, the main focus of the third ‘Under the Moonlight’ sleepover camp was to provide Guides a chance to hone their guiding skills at a location that would provide a truly authentic camping and hiking experience, connecting the girls with their inner strength and with nature.”

“As expected, this one too was a runway success, where 20 enthusiastic Guides were seen supporting their peers, boosting each other’s morale and working as a close-knit team through the challenges and adventures posed by their camping activities and the forces of nature,” she added.

During the two-day camp, the girls set off on 10 km and 25 km hikes within the 1,400-hectar property. They also went kayaking, swimming and snorkelling, witnessing around 13,000 bird and animal species residing in the island, which are indigenous to the Arabian Peninsula.

In the midst of these physically and mentally challenging activities, the Guides were seen picking up physical skills of camping, hiking and kayaking, alongside mental fortitude, self-dependence, responsibility and teamwork. They also learnt how to keep up each other’s morale, trusting and supporting one another by working as a strong cohesive team.

The guiding movement was first established in Sharjah in 1973, after which it spread across the Emirates, giving rise to the Girl Guides Association of the United Arab Emirates in 1979. Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, SGG aims to inspire and nurture future generations to become progressive global citizens by providing a platform for girls to develop to their fullest potential.