Utalaya Foundation is pleased to announce that the documentary “AJO MAL,” conceptualized and implemented by the foundation itself with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Kosovo, UN Women Kosovo, and Black Yak, is now available to the public on the YouTube platform.
Following a series of successful premieres in Prishtina, Peja, and Prizren, as well as its international screening at the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF) in Washington D.C., the documentary has now been published for all those who didn’t have the chance to see it before.
Watch the documentary here
“AJO MAL” is more than just a documentary – it is an inspiring story of courage, transformation, and the connection between young girls from Kosovo and the wild nature that surrounds them. Through three two-day expeditions across the mountains of Kosovo, 20 young girls participated in an extraordinary adventure led by the renowned mountaineer Uta Ibrahimi.
The documentary follows the participants’ experiences as they learn how to navigate in nature, use maps and compasses, set up camp, climb via ferratas, and live in tents. Throughout this journey, they develop leadership skills, find inspiration through guest speakers, and turn nature into an ally for their personal and social empowerment.
“AJO MAL” was born from the desire to break the invisible boundaries that separate young girls in Kosovo from nature, adventure, and leadership. In a society where mountains are often seen as rough terrain and “not for girls,” this project began a different kind of journey: a march toward self-confidence, empowerment, and environmental awareness. This initiative is a symbolic act of reclaiming the mountains – once bearing the wounds of the 1999 war – as spaces of hope, peace, empowerment, and equal rights. At its core, it reveals the transformative power of nature and the potential of women to be leaders in every field – including mountaineering, a discipline traditionally dominated by men.
Uta Ibrahimi, the documentary’s creator and executive producer, states:
“I’m incredibly happy that the documentary ‘Ajo Mal’ is now available to the wider public. I hope it inspires the youth of Kosovo to leave behind their screens, obligations, or everyday stress – even for a short while – and turn their attention toward our magnificent mountains, always with love, respect, and care for them.”
“AJO MAL” is a call to society as a whole to rethink its relationship with the mountains: not as places of isolation and pain, but as landscapes of healing, inspiration, and empowerment for all – especially for girls.
Finally, the Utalaya Foundation reaffirms its commitment to projects that empower women, youth, and nature in Kosovo. The foundation remains open to new collaborations and eagerly anticipates the development of the second edition of “AJO MAL,” where even more individuals will engage, benefit, and bring innovations that strengthen the connection between communities and our mountains.