Friends of Ascend - Community Support Group supports twenty Afghan refugees, almost all young women and girls, who arrived recently in Ireland and are now living in Dublin and Wicklow.
The Irish Government granted special residency visas on humanitarian grounds to the group who had to leave their homes and families, fleeing from the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The girls and women were being trained for social leadership through athletics and outdoor pursuits in Afghanistan by the US based charity - Ascend: Leadership Through Athletic.
As a result all were a special target for reprisal. Friends of Ascend aims to provide support to enable the refugees thrive in their new life in Ireland, completing their education, establishing careers and perhaps one day returning as stronger leaders to their homes in Afghanistan.