"Please Marina, I am scared. I need a safe place."
These words came from an Ascend girl who had only a few years ago climbed an 18,000' peak. This brave girl is now cowering at home, waiting for the Taliban to take over her neighborhood.
Today, the Taliban have entered Kabul. We knew the US withdrawal from Afghanistan would bring uncertainty to the country. However, the speed at which events have unfolded over the last few weeks and days has been unprecedented.
Our priority at this time is protecting our staff, their families and all those involved with Ascend. To this end, our team is working round the clock to support all those involved with Ascend in any way possible. We have always sought to provide safe spaces for young women, and now their need is at its greatest.
To this end, our message to all our followers, donors and wider supporters is simple:
It is heartbreaking watching these events unfolding. In the short term, we are doing all we can to try and ensure the safety of all those involved with Ascend. However, our mission - to empower girls - remains unchanged, and Ascend will find a way to deliver this mission despite these changing circumstances.
Just emailed Joe Biden - and appealed to his nature as a father of girls - we can all keep up the pressure. Now the UK Parlaiment again!
I just emailed all of the UK government people I seen in a comment below to get your team out of Afghanistan along with Nowzad team and animals. I hope and pray u all come out safe..much love from the United States...
Hi All,
I believe Pen Farthing said he could be the contact in Karbul who would work with whomever can get the girls to safety.
As for who to contact - email the US president, the UK PM Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Priti Patel and anyone else you can think of. The three email address for the above UK MP's are:
boris.johnson.mp@parliament.uk
dominic.raab.mp@parliament.uk
withammp@parliament.uk
Contact details for President Joe Biden click the below link:
Contact Us | The White House
The more people you can email the better I guess and the person below has given an example of what can be sent.
Good luck to the girls, we are all thinking of you xxx
Here's what I sent:
Dear Representative [Last Name ... see https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative to find yours],
I'm writing to ask you to do everything you can to enable the young women of Ascend Athletics, who are in their teens and early twenties, to escape the horrific conditions in Afghanistan and come to the U.S. Life will no doubt be hellish for many of the women of Afghanistan under the Taliban, but it will be especially so for these young women who have shown such strength and leadership. These women would be an asset to our country and I hope you will do everything you can to enable them to come to the U.S. https://www.ascendathletics.org/post/an-emergency-update-from-kabul
Thank you for your consideration and for your service.
I’m in Illinois. One of my senators is Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost both legs. I will contact her office but need to know what you want said to her, what you need, who she should contact, etc. Obviously getting the girls out and safe, but the more information we can provide to U.S. politicians, the better.