On a quiet morning in the old town of Al Wajh in 2021, a pivotal moment unfolded for Asma Khdeer. Sitting for a life-changing interview with the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, she prepared to align her personal journey with a vision larger than herself.

The Reserve is more than a sanctuary for nature—it is a place where lives, like Asma’s, are transformed. Asma, now the Senior Manager of Capacity Building and Sustainable Natural Resource Use, exemplifies the Reserve’s commitment to community empowerment.

Asma boldly began her academic journey in 2012, traveling to the U.S. without knowing English. By 2016, she earned a master’s in mathematics, gaining problem-solving skills and global perspective. Back home, she was able to access roles typically reserved for women. When the Reserve opened its doors, it became her opportunity to lead the entry of women into a new field and serve her community in a meaningful way.

Working with women who have made their mark in conservation internationally, the Reserve’s Chief of Business Elefteria Castis and Bronwyn James, Founding Director of Nature Connect, Asma’s first role was developing the skills of local people to become rangers in the Reserve. “This is exactly what I had been waiting for,” she reflects. “Who better to support local people to make meaningful change in their community than someone who understands the challenges?”

Asma started with a group of 48 rangers of which 19 were women taking on roles that globally are dominated by men.

Convincing families to embrace this change required patience and persistence. “Many people were skeptical,” she admits. “But we showed them this wasn’t just a job—it was a chance to protect our land and culture.”

Today, the Reserve boasts the first and largest female ranger team in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East—a milestone Asma sees as a collective victory, made possible through Vision 2030. “Seeing these women thrive makes me believe real change is possible.”.

Asma recalls the pride of watching them navigate rugged terrains and document wildlife behaviors, their confidence growing with each patrol. “It felt like the stereotypes we’ve faced as women were finally being dismantled—not with speeches but actions. That’s what makes our work transformative. Women bring a unique perspective to conservation, thinking about families and future generations”, she explains.

Asma’s passion for development extends beyond training rangers. She leads outreach programs in schools, engaging children and teachers in environmental education. Each interaction is carefully tailored—interactive sessions for students, workshops for educators. “Teaching is my first love,” she shares. “Seeing people understand and value conservation is incredibly rewarding.”

Her work also includes addressing the specific challenges local communities face, from overgrazing to sustainable fishing. By understanding their needs and designing solutions, she ensures conservation aligns with livelihoods, creating a model that is both effective and inclusive. Asma’s work forms part of the Reserve’s socio-economic beneficiation goal to create jobs and opportunities across its value chains.

“It’s not enough to tell people the dos and don’ts of conservation,” she explains. “You have to listen first—understand their needs—and then build solutions together.”

Asma works with a wide spectrum of stakeholders, both local and international, connecting her technical expertise with personal understanding, adding value to the Reserve’s broader work.

Her dreams for the Reserve are deeply personal. She envisions thriving ecosystems, the calls of migrating birds, and a natural world her children can experience not as a distant memory but as a living reality. “When the natural world deteriorates, it’s not just the environment that suffers—it’s our culture, our identity, and our future,” she says. “The Reserve isn’t just protecting land; it’s protecting who we are.”