Afghan Refugee Nurse Champions Women’s Empowerment Through Ultramarathon Endeavors

An NHS nurse, who previously arrived as an Afghan refugee, aims to encourage greater participation in sports among women, particularly those within the Muslim community, following her completion of a 26-hour ultramarathon. Fatima Painda, a resident of Peterborough, spent her formative years in Ghazni, a city located in Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain, before seeking refuge in the UK at the age of 14 to flee the Taliban. Ms Painda, who holds the position of deputy sister at North West Anglia Foundation Trust, commenced a worldwide running endeavor this summer, which involves competing in trails and marathons across 26 cities. Her objective is to serve as a “voice for change” and to generate both awareness and financial support for Afghan women confronting injustice. During August, she achieved the distinction of being among the limited number of Afghan women, “or even the first Afghan woman”, to finish the yearly 100km ultra-endurance CCC race in France, an event within the UTMB World Series. According to Ms Painda, she and her siblings spent their childhood assisting on their father’s farm after school, ascending hills with companions, and experiencing a “beautiful” life. Her educational institution was situated an hour’s walk from her residence, and frequently, she and her friends would pursue lorries and board them to bypass the walk. This marked her initial encounter with running. However, she and her family departed the country several years subsequent to the Taliban’s initial seizure of power in 1996. While undertaking their journey, her family endured gunfire from the Taliban. Additionally, their possessions were stolen at the Pakistan border. Upon arriving in Peterborough, she enrolled at Nene Park Academy and, in 2019, earned her degree from the University of East Anglia. For approximately 15 years, she has been undergoing training with her coach, Paul Larkins, at the Peterborough Athletics Track. Mr. Larkins characterized her as “inspirational” and expressed significant ambitions for her future. Ms Painda stated, “I felt lost when we first moved here. I missed the mountains.” She added, “My coach has been with me through my lows and high times.” “Yes, there is stigma and barriers,” she remarked. “But I didn’t feel that I need to speak English to run. For me running means you’ve got trainers on and you can conquer the world.” She continued, “I didn’t feel the need to fit in or change… I know Muslim women who have faced stereotypes.” “If a person who doesn’t know me says something to me… I am not going to react,” she explained. “I feel it is nothing to do with me, but they might be going through something themselves.” She concluded, “It is not easy to be that way. But you have to be so solid in your foundation.” Ms Painda manages to balance her demanding nearly 13-hour hospital shifts with her running commitments and providing personal fitness training. Her profile appeared in the November issue of Women’s Running, recognizing her as a role model for women worldwide. Throughout the years, she has served as an ambassador for Free to Run, an organization established to empower women through athletic pursuits in Afghanistan and Iraq. She attributed her perseverance to her affection and dedication for both running and nursing. Ms Painda expresses her aspiration to become “a voice for change” and a source of inspiration for other women, particularly within the Muslim community. Furthermore, she honored her family, referring to them as her “backbone.” She stated, “Life for women in Afghanistan is extremely challenging. It’s heartbreaking to see them being deprived of fundamental rights.” “When I crossed that finish line in Chamonix,” she recounted, “I felt that literally all the Afghan women were with me. I felt so strong and so great. It was a beautiful experience.” She further commented: “There is so much going around in the world – in Afghanistan, to Hazara people, in Palestine, in Lebanon. So if we can spread kindness at any opportunity, we must take it.” “I am not going to stop running or raising awareness about the issues,” she affirmed. “If I can change one life, either through running or through nursing and kindness, I will keep going.” Updates on Peterborough news are available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available for review.