At just 20 years old, Sohayla Chentouf is already blazing trails both on the road and in the world of sport entrepreneurship. From Tangier, a city in the north of Morocco, she is a business management student, an athlete specializing in road bike racing, and the current manager of MJ Bike Morocco – Tangier, a Moroccan bicycle brand offering high-quality bikes that promote eco-friendly transportation, and sustainable tourism.
But Sohayla’s ambitions extend beyond competitive cycling. She is currently enrolled in the TIBU Africa Sports Orange Corners program, a six-month program aimed at equipping young people with the skills to turn their ideas into viable businesses. Her project, “GirsCycles,” is focused on providing bike rentals and guided tours for girls in a safe, empowering, and fun environment, with specially equipped bikes tailored to their needs.
The Women’s Leadership in Sport for All Training
On 3-4 April, Sohayla attended the Women’s Sport for All Leadership Training in Casablanca, Morocco. The training, designed by TAFISA, hosted by TIBU Africa, and supported by the UNESCO Participation Program, attracted 27 inspiring young women from diverse backgrounds, all driven by a shared passion for Sport for All and leadership. Through highly interactive sessions, participants explored topics including transformational leadership, global and local perspectives on women, sport advocacy, strategic communication, navigating gender dynamics in sports ecosystems, and designing Gender-sensitive Sport for All initiatives.
The training culminated in the pairing of mentees and mentors who will embark on a 6-month mentorship journey, fostering continued growth, learning, and support as these young leaders rise within their communities and beyond.
Describing her experience at the training, Sohayla doesn’t hold back: “It was the best! It was more than amazing – it gave me a voice.” What made the experience so transformative for her wasn’t just the professional guidance, but the space it provided for authentic exchange, talking about passions, challenges, and personal stories. “After the training,” she shares,
““I knew I had to do more, speak up more, and rider further so that people can hear me ; and I’m ready to do more!“
Post-Training Aspirations and Community Impact
The training inspired Sohayla not just to dream big, but to act. “This training gave me the right to talk and share my skills and experiences within my projects,” she says, emphasizing the confidence and clarity she gained.
Through the training, she plans to make a tangible impact on her community, particularly among girls in Tangier. “In the north of Morocco, a lot of girls don’t know how to ride a bike. But once they learn, their world opens up. They can go to school, train, race, explore. A bicycle becomes a bridge to new possibilities.” For Sohayla, a bicycle isn’t just a mode of transport; it’s a tool of empowerment.
“Teaching them to ride a bike is empowering them so that they can go and do more things.“
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