Parents of aid worker killed in Afghanistan dedicate honour to women there

South Wales Guardian

14-06-2025

John and Lorna Norgrove said they were honoured and surprised to be recognised in the King's Birthday Honours.
The couple were both made OBEs for services to women and children abroad and in Scotland.
They set up the Linda Norgrove Foundation in memory of their daughter Linda, an aid worker who was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan and died in an attempted rescue by US forces in October 2010.
The foundation gives grants to fund education, health and childcare for women and children in Afghanistan.
The couple said: 'We are honoured to have received this recognition of the work being carried out by the Linda Norgrove Foundation.
'We are a tiny charity, mostly volunteers, who all share the same goal – to make life better for women and children in Afghanistan.
'Having put a lot of effort into sponsoring women to study medicine in Afghanistan, we were heartbroken when the Taliban stopped them from attending university.
'We were privileged to have the chance to bring some of them here to Scotland last year to continue their studies at Scottish universities.
'We dedicate this honour to all those brave women who remain in Afghanistan, or who have made the decision to leave their homes and families behind to move abroad and continue their studies and careers. Their struggle continues and they are the real heroes of this story.'
Mrs Norgrove said news of the OBE came as a 'big surprise'.
The foundation worked with both the Scottish and UK governments to bring 19 female Afghan medical students to Scotland last year to continue their degrees as they were barred by the Taliban from completing their university studies in Afghanistan.
The couple said the charity was set up to help Afghan women and children in their own country and they now plan to focus on that rather than bringing more of them to the UK.
They hope the honour will raise awareness about the work the foundation is doing in Afghanistan, where girls and women are living under severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban.
Mrs Norgrove said: 'Women have been prevented from working, prevented from having education, they're prevented from going out.
'And the loss of jobs is having a severe effect on family life and how they're managing to cope on an everyday basis.'
The couple, who live on the isle of Lewis, said their daughter would have been pleased to know they are carrying on the work that she was doing.
Mrs Norgrove said: 'Linda was very, very much for women's rights, and for looking after women, for giving them jobs – anything to do with women and children, she was all for it.
'She would be absolutely delighted that we've been able to help in the way that we have.'
Mr Norgrove added: 'She was all for women's education. She particularly thought that you don't only educate a woman, but you also ensure a different life for the woman's children as well, you know? So she thought that was the future.'