On Friday, September 6th, I will be setting out from Ground Zero along with about 40 other cyclists as we begin a 3-day, 250-mile journey back to Boston. We will be raising money for Beyond the 11th, in our effort to make a real difference in the lives of Afghan widows who continue to be among the poorest and most disenfranchised people in the world.
Along with me this year will be our daughter, Dina. Dina is 17 years old and is currently finishing 11th grade. Having never met her father, I can only guess that part of her reason for wanting to participate in Beyond the Bike is to somehow take control over the events of 9/11. In preparation for Beyond the Bike, she will be going on a bike trip this summer from Seattle to San Francisco. She has expressed excitement, determination, and a healthy sense of, “What did I sign up for?”
Of course Donald will be riding again – I’m lucky to have a great partner to train with (when I can keep up with him on the hills). In addition, Molly (almost 20) will be heading up support for all the riders with Rebecca (age 11) by her side. I am so incredibly proud that we are truly making this a family affair.
It’s hard to believe that the first time Patti Quigley and I set out on our inaugural bike ride from Ground Zero was back in 2004 – 15 years ago! I’m beyond thrilled that Patti will be participating again this year
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The US invaded Afghanistan in October of 2001. In the following years, the Taliban was weakened, and women began to see more freedoms. Girls began attending school again, and women were able to work outside their homes more freely. Although things remained very difficult, the outlook for the country began to spring with hope. However, in recent years, the Afghan government has lost much of its power and, as the US began withdrawing its troops, the Taliban has regained much of its control over the country.
As you may have recently seen, the United States is currently in negotiations with the Taliban to end the war in Afghanistan. But it is doubtful that the current negotiations will protect women. Allowing the Taliban at the negotiating table – but not including women – assures the destruction of progress.
Progress for Afghan women has been slow. The work of Beyond the 11th has had significant impact on the lives of thousands of widows but we still have a long way to go. While it is no longer technically illegal for girls to go to school or for women to work, protections are harder to enforce in the rural villages where most of the population lives. While there are now female judges in Kabul and female members of the legislature, for every one of them there are thousands who do not know how to read and are forced to abide by Sharia law.
With the ultimate drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, women’s rights become that much more tenuous. Our support is needed now more than ever. Afghan women are pleading not to be overlooked and we remain committed to them.
Sadly, on May 8th there was an attack in Kabul against a U.S. based non-profit called Counterpart International. It is believed that they were specifically targeted because they were “conducting harmful Western activities in Afghanistan.” CARE’s offices are right next to theirs and tragically, three CARE employees were killed. We have been working with CARE since our inception in 2003. We are beyond devastated by this news. We have been assured that the program will continue, but the risks to the amazing men and women who work at CARE on the ground cannot be overstated.
With so many wonderful causes to give to, I understand that helping “them” “over there” can sometimes feel removed from your everyday life. But as the world has become more and more interconnected, I see so clearly how “them” is really “us,” and “over there” is much closer than ever before.
Dina, Donald, and I (Team Retik-Ger) are hoping to raise $30,000 for Beyond the 11th. I hope you will consider making a generous donation to help us reach this goal.
With much appreciation,
Susan Retik
Co-Founder, Beyond the 11th