Success for charity in memory of Scots aid worker supporting young people in Afghanistan

A charity founded in memory of a Scots aid worker killed in Afghanistan has now raised over £1 million for good causes.

The Linda Norgrove Foundation was set up by her parents John and Lorna, after she was killed during a rescue attempt by US special forces in 2010.

Linda had been kidnapped by rebels while she did aid work in the war torn country.

The foundation has so far helped to establish a new school in Kabul in Afghanistan.

John Norgrove, from Lewis, said: "It took our minds off the tragedy of Linda's death.

You cannot just stand by and not help

"The pain does gradually go away with time although it never disappears."

He added: "Four out of 10 people in Afghanistan are under 15 years of age. It is a very young country and their only experience has been one of conflict.

"You cannot just stand by and not help."

It has also awarded university scholarships to 44 girls, five of which are studying medicine, and provided assistance to women's projects.

Lorna Norgrove said many of the girls being supported in Kabul via the charity had held her daughter as a role model.

“I think Linda would be both surprised and pleased that we are doing something to help a place she grew to love," she said.

Linda was killed by a grenade thrown by one of the American special forces soldiers trying to rescue her.

Linda was kidnapped in Kunar Afghanistan on 26 September 2010 and died in an attempted rescue by US forces on 8 October. She was 36.

Shewas regional director for Direct Aid International (DAI) in Jalalabad where sheoversaw a USAID project designed to create jobs and strengthen local Afghanleadership and economies in unstable and vulnerable areas.

Linda taught herself to speak Dari, an Afghan version of Persian, to help her establish proper relationships with her Afghan staff and the local communities she visited and worked in.

Training local people was an important part of the programme and she was instrumental in ensuring women and disabled people were included.

HerDAI colleague Jonathan Greenham said of her: "She learned how to managethe complexity of numerous activities across four provinces in record time, andher interpersonal skills, warmth, caring competence and candor won over theteam of mainly Pushtoon males in record time."

As her parents said in tribute to her work: “Linda, and those rare people like her, are trail blazers for all of us who wish for a better world.

“Theyare the standard bearers of hope, the people who make change happen so thatsocieties throughout the world can have hope of future peace andself-determination.

“Linda lived in the day and always looked forward with hope – she would have wanted us to look forward with hope too.”