Before dawn on a Saturday, a group sets out tired and hungry. They slept on a hard floor and are still wearing the clothes they arrived in. Ahead lies a long trek through open countryside, then a muddy assault course. At the end comes a long, uncertain wait for a deliberately simple iftar.
This is the heart of the challenge: 24 hours of solidarity. It is physically demanding and spiritually grounding, and it is unlike anything most people have done. It asks you to walk, in some small way, in the shoes of those forced to flee, and to let that experience change you.
Walking with them
For millions of refugees, setting out exhausted and hungry into an uncertain day is not a challenge. It is just life.
Our challenge asks you to face that reality head on, in your body and soul, and alongside others. It does not pretend to simulate suffering. It closes a little of the distance between our comfort and their reality, and it asks us to stop looking away.
Every element is deliberate:
- an uncomfortable night on the floor
- a fast carried through physical effort
- an assault course tackled in modest dress, with your belongings on you
- a simple, uncertain iftar
Each one echoes a small part of that reality. Each teaches what no amount of reading can.
Twenty-four hours
It begins on Friday evening with a gathering of prayer, reflection and a shared meal. Nightfall brings tahajjud (the voluntary night prayer), a night’s rest without comfort, and an early rise for sahoor (the pre-dawn meal). By the time the group sets out at first light, they already carry the seed of what they came to understand.
On Saturday the trek leads through woodland and open countryside. The group is fasting and tired, but together. Beyond the walk lies the assault course: wet, muddy, and built to test every reserve. Then comes the journey home, and the wait for an iftar that is simple by design.
It is demanding. By every account, it is also extraordinary.
Who this is for
Most participants are ordinary Muslims: parents, students, colleagues, neighbours. They are not fitness fanatics or seasoned adventurers. You only need to be willing to be uncomfortable, to be changed, and to show up for something larger than yourself.
Participants often describe finding strength they did not know they had. They talk about bonds formed in shared struggle that outlast the day, and a gratitude that quietly reshapes how they see ordinary life. Some come back and do it again.
Why take it on?
It is an immersive experience that lets you step into the shoes of refugees and gain a small but real glimpse of what they face. It is an act of solidarity.
Through a carefully structured day of reflection, endurance and teamwork, you build empathy, resilience and community. You also come away with lasting connections to the wider human story of struggle and perseverance.
Fundraising and impact
Many groups run the challenge to raise money for refugee support organisations through sponsorship. But participants say what they carry home goes far beyond what was raised. They have shared something hard to put into words, which is why they want to tell others.
Ready to begin?
The guides on this website give you everything you need to run your own challenge, from planning the route and managing safety to leading reflection and supporting your group. Whether you are gathering a small circle or a wider community, you have what you need here.