DUBAI – A Facebook group supporting hijabi Muslim women has won a Facebook Fellowship, allowing them to help more women around the world.

The group, “Surviving Hijab,” was picked out of more than 6000 applicants, Arab News reported.

Created by Manal Rostom, the first-ever athlete to compete in a major competition sporting a Nike Pro Hijab, the social media platform was chosen due to its ever-expanding community and positive aim.

They will be receiving monetary support to grow and help more hijab-wearing woman around the world.

Manal took to Instagram and wrote: “This is a *HUGE* moment for us as a community that strives to smash stereotypes and break glass ceilings.”

“To every hijabi girl who has been humiliated, denied access to restaurants, pools, hotels and denied jobs — today, this award is for you…To speak up LOUDER, STRONGER and have NO FEAR to stand up for your right…Thank you @Facebook for giving us a voice and for giving us a platform to express ourselves with a mere objective to change the world (sic).”

 

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2/3 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT Some may have tried to ban us from pools, others denied us jobs, but one thing they couldn’t do, was to keep us quiet. . . . That’s why I @manirostom started this group, in her own words, “This is why I started Surviving Hijab to support one another and to get support myself.” . . . #repost @manirostom . . . Today I am proud to announce Out of 6000 applications submitted to Facebook’s Community Leadership Program, last year, @survivinghijab initiative has been chosen as a Fellow where as a booming community on Facebook with over 650K women from all around the world , we will be receiving monetary support to grow and flourish even more as a Support Community of Hijab-babes around the world. . This is a *HUGE* moment for us as a community that strives to smash stereotypes and break glass ceilings. To every Hijabi girl who has been humiliated, denied access to restaurants, pools, hotels and denied jobs – today , this Award is for you. . One massive thank you goes to @facebook for giving us a voice and for giving us a platform and another massive thank you to @chrissharb & the rest of the Facebook Team for having our back throughout this process. And of course a huge thank you to the ladies of the Surviving Hijab who keep it alive everyday @malowaishi @mahaelnemer @faridaelsharkawy @coveredinlayers @hibaaitanii

A post shared by Surviving Hijab®️ (@survivinghijab) on Sep 25, 2018 at 11:23am PDT

The Facebook community leadership program was created to inspire and give a platform to community global leaders and support them through monetary means.

Hijab is a mandatory veil worn by adult Muslim women in the presence of any male outside of their immediate family, which usually covers the head and chest.

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