The story of nonprofit Beyond the 11^th is one of solidarity and hope springing from a terrible shared grief. By raising funds and awareness, the organisation works to empower widows in Afghanistan who have been afflicted by war, terrorism, and oppression. Their work has helped hundreds of women to support themselves and their families without begging in the street or standing in a breadline.

The founders of Beyond the 11^th met each other after both were widowed on 9/11. Patti Quigley’s husband Patrick was killed whilst travelling on United Flight 175, leaving her eight month’s pregnant with her second child. Susan Retik was seven months pregnant with her third child when her husband David lost his life on American Flight 11.

The women were overwhelmed, not only by grief, but by support from friends, family and strangers from around the globe. Both residents of suburban Boston, they didn’t meet until several months after they had been widowed. When they did meet, they formed a strong bond based on shared experience that few others could comprehend.

As she watched the media coverage of the war in Afghanistan, Susan realised that the widows there were being given none of the financial or logistical support which had made such a huge difference to her life and the lives of the other “9/11 widows”.

In many cases, Afghan widows had no means to feed, clothe, or shelter their children. Their situation was desperate. Susan started to think about using her newfound platform to reach out and help. She discussed her idea with Patti within a matter of weeks the two began working to turn the vision into reality. In 2003, Beyond the 11th was officially founded and three years later, the co-founders travelled to Afghanistan to see firsthand the impact their work had had. Their journey was documented in the award-winning film Beyond Belief.

For more information, see the Beyond the 11th website.