On the 27th September, 2017 it was announced that women would have the right to drive in Saudi Arabia, starting from June this year.

As the implementation of the new rule inches closer, women throughout the kingdom are faced with a problem: HOW do you drive?

The duration of the driving classes depend on the ‘road experience’ the women have. Completely inexperienced women have to absolve 90 hours, while those who have hit the road with their family before only need 30 hours. With a current rate of Dhs59 per hour, getting your driving licence would cost a hefty Dhs5,310 (for no previous experience). 

One Saudi Arabian woman decided to do something about the high fees. 32-year-old Hanaa Aldhafery started a movement to spare women the pricey driving lessons. Under the hashtag #مستعده_ادرب  (#iam_ready_to_train_you) she reached out to potential volunteers to give free driving lessons to women, through Twitter.

“Are there any volunteers who are ready to train others to drive for free? (And the training will be after Ramadan because we don’t want any trouble with the law and the training will be in parking lots away from crowded places) If the answer is yes write the name of your city in the #مستعده_ادرب “

In an interview with ELLE, Hanaa Aldhafery said “I started the hashtag because I want to help other girls learn how to drive perfectly. Because if a girl went to a driving training center without experience they will charge her more.”

The movement is encountered with a huge support from women and men alike. Many citizens from Saudi Arabia have put their hands up to give free classes in their spare time.


Thank you Hanaa Aldhafery, you are a modern role model.