UD seniors Nora Reynolds and Elizabeth Clinton discuss their work in Morocco.

Empowering women

UD seniors sponsor women's running and leadership camp in Morocco

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10 a.m., Oct. 21, 2015--As cross-country runners, two University of Delaware students knew that they must continue their physical training while studying abroad. Little did they know that running while in Morocco would open their eyes to the disparities concerning women’s involvement in both exercise and the public sphere. 

UD seniors Elizabeth Clinton and Nora Reynolds shared many similarities. Members of the University Honors Program, both were international relations majors who studied Arabic, loved running, and held an interest in women’s rights. Both, too, had studied abroad in Morocco.

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Clinton, who studied in Asilah this past winter as part of a UD foreign language study abroad program sponsored by the Institute for Global Studies (IGS), and Reynolds who studied in Ifrane, also shared common observations from exercising during their time abroad.

“We both fell in love with Morocco and its people, and had similar experiences while running and exercising there,” said Clinton. “We did not see many runners, and we especially did not see any women running. Also, the gyms in Morocco are set up differently; men and women work out on different days.”

Interested in the role that exercise norms may play in other domains, they began to explore the relationship between increased participation by women in sports and their participation in other public areas, like politics and education.

As they began to conduct research for a future thesis, they also realized the powerful impact that they could have with direct action. 

Rooted in a combined passion for running and international development, Clinton and Reynolds decided to establish a women’s running and leadership camp in Morocco. This August, they traveled to Ouarzazate to conduct pre-assessment research about what Moroccan women would find most valuable in a running camp.

“We want to teach basic training skills including stretching, nutrition, overall health and wellness, and smart running,” shared Clinton. “We also believe running to be empowering, so we want to incorporate lectures on leadership and initiative.”

While in Morocco, Clinton and Reynolds met with volunteers of CorpsAfrica, a U.S. Peace Corps affiliate. CorpsAfrica works to provide Moroccans with opportunities to volunteer in their own country. 

As international relations students, they both understand the value of working with local people so that they do not portray themselves as outsiders imposing on a community. They hope that this approach will allow them to be more engaged in the community and have a genuine effect on the lives of Moroccan women.  

Clinton and Reynolds will return to Morocco in January 2016 to implement their running and leadership camp. They received funding from the James R. Soles Undergraduate Citizenship Stipend through UD’s Department of Political Science and International Relations to support their trip in August and part of their camp in January.

The two seniors are now seeking funding to cover costs associated with their two-week program during January. They have created a crowdfunding site titled Tessria - An Initiative to Empower Moroccan Women Through Running, where donations will go toward running sneakers, exercise clothes, and food for participants during the camp. Tessria, an Arabic word which means “to accelerate,” represents their hope for forward motion in both running and development. 

Students with an interest in studying abroad are encouraged to consult the IGS website for program application dates, interest meetings and more.

About the Institute for Global Studies

The Institute for Global Studies was created in 2009 to enhance the international dimensions of teaching, research and outreach at the University of Delaware. IGS provides leadership and support for programs and experiences that contribute to the education of informed, skilled, open-minded citizens of the world.

IGS awards scholarships and grants to faculty and students for a number of global opportunities, and administers internationally-recognized programs such as the UD Fulbright Initiative, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Student Leaders Institute, Mandela Washington Fellowship Program for Young African Leaders, and most recently the Study of the United States Institutes for Student Leaders (SUSI-WL) program. 

IGS sponsors such signature events as Global Month each fall and country-specific celebrations each spring.

IGS collaborates with other global partners on campus, including the Office for International Students and Scholars, the Confucius Institute and the Center for Global and Area Studies. In addition, IGS partners with Enrollment Management to coordinate the UD World Scholars Program.

Article by Jessica Franzetti

Video by Kristina Magana

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