One of the biggest decisions you’ll face when organising your challenge is how to balance making it realistic and meaningful with keeping everyone safe and comfortable. You want people to understand what refugees go through, but you also want them to come home feeling empowered rather than traumatised.
Why some difficulty is important
The challenge has to mean something
If your event is too easy or comfortable, participants won’t really understand what you’re trying to teach them about refugee experiences. A bit of genuine discomfort helps people:
- Really appreciate what refugees endure
- Understand their own strength and resilience
- Feel proud of what they’ve achieved
- Remember the experience and be moved to help others
But safety comes first
You’re creating a controlled simulation, not putting people in actual danger. The goal is empathy and understanding, not survival.
Being honest about what’s coming
Tell people what to expect
Don’t spring surprises on participants. Instead:
- Explain exactly what physical challenges they’ll face
- Describe the sleeping arrangements and basic food
- Be clear about the fasting element and why it’s part of the experience
- Help people understand how this connects to refugee experiences
Give people real choice
- Make it clear that participation is completely voluntary
- Explain how people can step back if something becomes too much
- Let people know there’s no shame in modifying activities to suit their needs
- Emphasise that you want them to challenge themselves safely, not to suffer
Creating meaningful difficulty
Physical challenges that make sense
Design activities that connect to real experiences:
- Walking long distances on difficult terrain mirrors refugee journeys
- Basic sleeping conditions reflect the reality of refugee camps
- Simple food helps people appreciate having enough to eat
- Carrying belongings in rucksacks simulates having to carry everything you own
Emotional connections
Help people understand the deeper meaning:
- Explain how each activity relates to real refugee experiences
- Share appropriate stories and statistics during rest breaks
- Encourage reflection on how the temporary discomfort compares to permanent displacement
- Connect the challenge to positive action people can take
Keeping people safe and supported
Build in safety nets
- Have clear procedures for anyone who needs to stop or modify activities
- Provide proper first aid coverage throughout
- Create buddy systems so people look out for each other
- Make sure everyone knows how to ask for help
Regular check-ins
- Build in natural break points where you can assess how everyone’s doing
- Train your helpers to spot people who might be struggling
- Have private conversations with anyone who seems to be having difficulty
- Adjust plans if the group seems to be finding things too challenging
Supporting different needs
Not everyone can do everything
Some participants might need to:
- Skip the fasting element due to health conditions
- Modify physical activities due to fitness levels or injuries
- Take more rest breaks than others
- Step back from certain activities that are too challenging
Keep everyone included
- Find meaningful roles for people who can’t do all the physical challenges
- Make it clear that partial participation is still valuable
- Focus on effort and intention rather than completion
- Celebrate everyone’s contribution to the group experience
Islamic perspective on challenge and care
Balance in all things
Islamic teachings emphasise:
- Taking care of your health as a trust from Allah
- Not putting yourself in unnecessary danger
- Supporting and caring for your community
- Understanding that Allah doesn’t burden anyone beyond their capacity
Meaningful without being harmful
- The challenge should build people up, not break them down
- Difficulty should lead to growth and gratitude
- Physical discomfort should enhance spiritual reflection
- The experience should motivate charitable action
Warning signs to watch for
When to ease up
If participants are:
- Becoming genuinely distressed rather than just challenged
- Taking risks to complete activities
- Focusing on surviving rather than learning
- Starting to resent the experience or each other
How to respond
- Adjust activities immediately to reduce stress
- Provide extra support and encouragement
- Refocus on the meaning and purpose rather than the physical challenge
- Remember that successful completion is less important than positive learning
Creating positive memories
End on a high
Make sure your challenge concludes with:
- Celebration of everyone’s efforts and achievements
- Comfortable conditions for breaking fast and sharing a meal
- Reflection on what people have learned and how they’ve grown
- Planning for how the group will continue supporting refugees
Follow up afterward
- Check in with participants in the days following the event
- Address any concerns or difficult emotions that might have arisen
- Help people process their experience and connect it to ongoing action
- Use feedback to improve future events
Learning from experience
Start conservatively
If you’re unsure about the right level of challenge:
- It’s better to have people wishing it was harder than traumatising them
- You can always increase difficulty in future events based on feedback
- Focus on getting the safety and support systems right first
- Build your experience and confidence gradually
Listen to feedback
After each event:
- Ask participants what they found most meaningful
- Find out what was too easy or too difficult
- Understand how the experience affected people emotionally
- Use this learning to refine future challenges
The goal isn’t to make people suffer but to help them grow in empathy, resilience, and commitment to helping others. When you get the balance right, participants will leave feeling proud of what they’ve achieved, grateful for what they have, and motivated to make a real difference for refugees.
Remember, the most powerful learning often comes from well-supported challenges where people feel safe to push their boundaries. Your role is to create an environment where growth can happen without putting anyone at genuine risk.