Saudi aid center delivers 950 food baskets in Kosovo

RIYADH: Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve marked International Women’s Day by announcing the expansion of its pioneering all-women ranger unit, one of the largest in the Middle East.

“Women are breaking new ground at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, one patrol at a time,” Andrew Zaloumis, CEO at the reserve, said. “Their presence strengthens our conservation efforts, brings new ideas to the table, and helps connect our communities to conservation in ways we have never seen before.”

With 40 new recruits, women now comprise 34 percent of the reserve’s ranger team — surpassing the global average of 11 percent and setting a new regional benchmark. These 84 nature rangers play a critical role in protecting the reserve’s landscapes, culture and wildlife.

The reserve’s all-women ranger unit calls itself Al Anqas (the phoenix), symbolizing a new beginning for Saudi women in conservation. Through their daily patrols and interactions, the rangers challenge perceptions and engage local communities in meaningful discussions around nature protection and conservation practices.

Rogayah Awad Al-Balawi, a ranger from Al-Sudayd in Al-Wajh Governorate, embodies the spirit of the initiative. Her journey, from a traditional Bedouin upbringing to becoming one of Saudi Arabia’s pioneering female wildlife rangers, highlights resilience and determination.

She said: “The job was described as a ranger, which was a new concept for me. No Saudi woman had worked in this field before, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect.”

Now, alongside her colleagues, she regularly patrols the reserve’s vast landscapes, using her local knowledge to help safeguard its wildlife and habitats. “Having local women in these roles is crucial. We understand the land, its people, and its unique needs,” she said.

Asma Khdeer, senior manager of capacity building and natural resource use management, has played a key role in ranger training, and asked: “Who is there better to support local people to make meaningful change in their community than someone who understands the challenges?”

She told of her pride in watching new recruits navigate rugged terrain, track wildlife and participate in their first patrols, and added: “It felt like the stereotypes we’ve faced as women were finally being dismantled — not with speeches but actions. That’s what makes our work transformative. Women bring a unique perspective to conservation, thinking about families and future generations.”

Each year thousands of applicants compete for limited positions on the reserve’s ranger training program. Selected candidates undergo an intensive four-day selection process, testing their physical fitness, teamwork and character. Successful recruits then take on a rigorous nine-week training course led by Ali Al-Balawi, the reserve’s capacity-building supervisor.

The comprehensive training covers essential topics such as conservation management, technical field skills, wildlife monitoring, tracking, off-road driving, cultural heritage conservation, self-defense, incident reporting, first aid, and disaster management.

The reserve continues to reinforce its vision of creating a vibrant society and thriving economy by empowering local women and providing them with employment and training opportunities.

JEDDAH: Traditional dishes in the AlUla region are an important part of Ramadan customs. Among the most notable are the grain-based hareessa, or freekeh, soup and AlUla-style sambous, or samosa.

Huda Hamza Al-Ateeq has spent her life in AlUla and learned the art of traditional cooking from her late mother.

“I still make many of the dishes she taught me,” Al-Ateeq told Arab News. “One of my favorites is marees bread, it’s simple yet rich, made by mixing and boiling the dough with garlic and salt, then finishing it off with ghee.”

She explained that many of AlUla’s dishes rely on Bedouin products, such as ghee and local spices.

“For sambous, the dough is typically made from whole wheat flour (with a small amount of white flour added) and mixed with instant yeast, a bit of oil, and water. Sometimes, milk is added, but the key ingredient remains whole-wheat flour.

“The filling consists of minced meat, onions, spices and salt, along with a special blend of AlUla spices that gives the sambous dough its distinctive flavor.”

Hareesa soup (freekeh soup)

According to Al-Ateeq, this soup is a staple of Ramadan iftar meals. The wheat used in its preparation is grown in AlUla, taking about four to six months to mature.

Once the wheat turns golden, the stalks are roasted over a fire, and the grains are then extracted and crushed.

The grains are then cooked with meat, taking about an hour and a half to two hours to fully cook. Typically, one third to half a cup of freekeh is added to an appropriate amount of water, and just one cup of freekeh can produce a large quantity of soup.

Other traditional dishes in AlUla reflect a deep connection to heritage and local flavors.

“Ruqaq bread, a semi-liquid dough baked on a griddle, is often enjoyed with Eidam Al-Dibagh, a traditional stew, or marisa. It is also known as mastah. While luqaimat, a dessert, is not commonly served, it occasionally appears on the iftar table.”

She continued: “In the past, juice options were limited, with lemon juice and marisa juice — made from sugarcane or dried dates and naturally sweetened with dates — being the most common.

“Dates play a significant role in local cuisine, with mabroum and helwa being the most popular varieties. Helwa dates are compressed into special containers, allowing them to be stored for up to one or two years, during which their flavor deepens.”

Al-Ateeq said that before Ramadan, the head of the household would traditionally purchase wheat to be used in preparing soup, ruqaq bread, sambous pastries and handmade pasta (like noodles).

In the past, women would knead and shape pasta by hand, then leave it to air-dry completely before storing enough to last for suhoor meals throughout the year.

Freekeh soup continues to be cultivated in AlUla and is sold at varying prices, sometimes reaching SR80 ($21) to SR110 a kilogram, due to high demand from different regions of Saudi Arabia.

AlUla hosts traditional food festivals, some of which are overseen by the Slow Food organization to promote healthy eating awareness.

These festivals showcase AlUla’s diverse dishes and introduce visitors from around the world to the region’s agricultural products, including wheat, vegetables and fruits.