- Beyond the 11th
Beyond the 11th is a
charitable foundation that supports widows in Afghanistan affected by war and terrorism. The organization makes grants to programs run byNGO s (non-governmental organizations) already working in the country, such asCARE ,Women for Women International , andArzu . These programs helpAfghan widows become self-sufficient through job skills training, literacy classes and small business development.The foundation was formed in 2003 by Susan Retik and Patti Quigley, two women who were widowed by the
September 11th attacks . Both were pregnant at the time of their husbands' deaths and became close friends in the aftermath of their tragedies. Inspired by the outpouring of support they had each received from friends, family and strangers, the two women decided to they wanted to help widows in Afghanistan rebuild their lives after decades of war and oppression.In May 2006, Retik and Quigley traveled to Kabul to meet the women they had been supporting in person. Quigley eventually stepped down from the organization to end her public role as a 9/11 widow, but she continues to focus on supporting Afghan widows and children through other projects.
Documentary Film
Quigley and Retik's work establishing Beyond the 11th and their trip to Afghanistan are the subject of the feature documentary Beyond Belief, directed by
Beth Murphy . The film premiered at the 2007Tribeca Film Festival .External links
* [http://www.beyondthe11th.org/ Beyond the 11th homepage]
* [http://www.principlepictures.com/beyondbelief/ Beyond Belief documentary website]
* [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/05/25/joined_by_tragedybuilding_for_a_future profile in the Boston Globe]
* [http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0531/p13s02-lifp.html Christian Science Monitor article]
* [http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200609/20060927/slide_20060927_284_201.jhtml Susan Retik and Patti Quigley on the Oprah Winfrey Show]
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