This episode features Marwa Ali, who is from Kabul, Afghanistan, and now lives in exile as a refugee in Paris, France. How and why she left her home country and the part running and sports played in that journey is what her story is about. Moreover, it's about the power of being an athlete.

Marwa Ali, who is now 24 years old, has been an athlete
since childhood. She grew up in Afghanistan during a time when the rights
and freedoms of women and girls had been improving. That all changed, however, when the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The Taliban quickly and harshly stripped women of all autonomy or the ability to move freely outside the home. Marwa shares that in her story to that in her story, along with the difficulties of life under the Taliban and becoming a refugee in a foreign country all on her own: she left her entire family behind.

Marwa also talks about discovering the joy and power of being an athlete at 8 years old, and how that led her to become a leader within sports and beyond. It also instilled a strong sense of self-confidence. Marwa’s athletic pursuits have been a throughline of support, empowerment, hope, and healing, all along her very difficult journey.

Also a steady force in Marwa’s journey is that all her athletic pursuits are to both help herself and to also raise up the dark times Afghan women and girls are facing.

“In this difficult time,” says Marwa, “if they cannot run, I can run for them.”

Mentioned in This Episode

Afghan Parkour Society: @afghanparkoursociety

Ring O'Fire: ringofire.co.uk

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