As we approach the 45th London Marathon, our team of inspiring and dedicated runners are busy racking up miles and raising vital funds for Afghan families. We caught up with two of our runners, Hazel and Grace, to learn more about what motivated them to run for Afghanaid, and how they are getting on with their training for their big challenge ahead. 

Hazel's Story

26 year old Hazel is joining us this year from Chester to run her first ever marathon, a goal that has always been on her bucket list. She is especially excited to be running for Afghanaid, telling us: “Afghanaid is a charity that is very close to my heart. My partner of almost ten years is Afghan and I want to show my wholehearted support to the Afghan community.” 

To Hazel, this challenge represents a much bigger goal:

Running this marathon is a personal commitment to something bigger than myself. It represents resilience and perseverance, qualities that mirror the strength and determination of the Afghan people. I want to use my marathon journey as a platform to amplify Afghan voices and remind others of the importance of global solidarity and compassion in times of crisis. It’s an opportunity to not only challenge myself physically, but also to help make a real difference where it’s most needed.

Hazel is also excited to support our climate change adaptation programmes, which provide the most marginalised Afghan communities with the life saving-support and long-lasting solutions they need to thrive in the face of a changing climate.

So far, she has raised £500 by organizing a Christmas charity hamper with the generous support of local businesses. Looking ahead, Hazel plans to host an Easter bake sale at her workplace and is working hard to spread the word about her fundraising page. Her goal is to reach or exceed £1,500 to support families in Afghanistan. "By supporting Afghanaid, I want to show solidarity with the Afghan people and help amplify their resilience in the face of adversity," 

Grace’s Story

26-year-old Grace from Kent was inspired to fundraise for Afghanaid for many of the same reasons, particularly after reading media reports of the increasing restrictions placed on women in Afghanistan. She explained, “the news about the new rules for Afghan women, as set by the Taliban, really affected me as a woman, and I felt compelled to donate to a charity that works with women in Afghanistan. I came across Afghanaid and saw that not only do they do incredible work with women, but they also tackle issues related to development and climate change, which is what I studied at university."

With her passion and expertise in climate change and development work, Grace was eager to explore how she could best contribute. She shared:

"In doing more research into this amazing charity, I came across an advert to run the London Marathon- something I’ve done before and figured I could do again. It seemed like a great way to support the people of Afghanistan in a meaningful way from the UK."

Understanding the immense potential she has to make a difference with the resources available to her, Grace emphasises, “As I run, I will remind myself of how fortunate I was to attend university and how lucky I am to participate in a sporting event—something Afghan women can no longer do” Grace is determined to mobilise as much support as possible for Afghan women, urging,

“Please join me in supporting the people of Afghanistan, particularly women at this time, by donating to my fundraising page. Thank you!”

Support our dedicated Marathon Runners! 

Our incredible team of runners this year is giving their all to support Afghan communities who need our help the most. You can do your part by donating and sharing their fundraising pages with your family and friends!

Hazel's Fundraising Page                 Grace's Fundraising Page