MADISON, Wis. — It’s easy to watch what’s happening in Afghanistan and feel helpless. That’s how two Madison moms felt before they decided to put one foot in front of the other.
Jahna Cook and Danielle Jefko started a GoFundMe to benefit the Afghan female athletes who are part of the Ascend: Leadership Through Athletics program.
Ascend is a non-profit organization established in 2014 that has been training and empowering women in Afghanistan through hiking, climbing, mountaineering to later take on leadership roles and push cultural boundaries.
Being part of Madison Women Climbers group, Cook and Jefko felt a connection to these women who are trapped overseas in an unfolding and uncertain situation.
“It’s one thing that we can do to use our privilege and our freedom here to lift them up and raise their voices. We’ve got to do it,” Cook said.
Jefko and Cook said the women who are involved in Ascend in Afghanistan are now targets for Taliban retribution due to their prominent roles as activists in their communities.
On top of fundraising, Jefko and Cook will be hiking 31 miles from Lodi to Devil’s Lake on September 5 to raise awareness for their fellow hiking sisters overseas.
Jefko said there is a hiking fundraiser being held in the UK to support the same cause, but because the two couldn’t make it for that event on September 25, they decided to do their own hike locally.
“Our feet are probably going to get blistered and bloodied and that’s OK,” Cook said. “We’re still going to push ourselves to be energetically in alignment with these women that are facing such unreasonable challenges right now.”.
All the proceeds raised through the GoFundMe will directly benefit Ascend, who have vowed to stay in Afghanistan and help women get to a safe zone. The money will provide them with the resources to find the women who are trying to leave Afghanistan, pay for VISAS, airfare and any other resettlement costs.
“That they’ll be killed,” Cook said. “The stakes are that high.”
According to an Ascend Facebook post, “There is hope that some countries – including Poland, Ireland, Slovakia, France and UK – may provide homes for the girls and their families. But we need your help to pressure local governments to make this hope a reality.”
Cook and Jefko are also encouraging more people to text CRISIS to 52886. This will send you a link to send an email to your lawmakers to put pressure on the US Defense Department to create a safe zone for these women.
“In the past, my tendency has been to just freeze up,” Jefko said. “Like I don’t know what I could do. I’m just one small fish. Like how are you supposed to make a difference? All of these emotions overrode that for me and it’s like we can do something and anything is better than nothing.”
To donate to their GoFundMe, click here.
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