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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. From Paul Feiner, Greenburgh Town Supervisor. August 28, 2021:

We’re all overwhelmed with excitement and happiness. The Afghanistan woman we’ve been trying to help escape from the Taliban is now in Germany.

Professor Sheldon Malev, a Greenburgh resident, had reached out to me earlier this week asking me to try to help.

Senator Charles Schumer’s office, Congressman Mondaire Jones, the media all helped give Freshta a second chance at life.

A true team effort to save an amazing woman’s life.

Freshta is recovering from a road side bomb in Afghanistan. When I spoke with Sofia Boto during the week she told me how her cousin (who graduated law school and is a woman’s rights activist) escaped the Taliban.

Her landlord evicted her this week – mentioning that if she did not leave she would be reported to the Taliban.  Before being thrown out of her house the Taliban knocked on her door repeatedly and she had to make sure they couldn’t hear her.  She was beaten on the way to the Kabul airport with metal whips.  And injured. She’s a brave and amazing woman. 

If she chooses to move to Westchester we’re going to make sure that she has the support she needs. Her cousin, Sophia, lives in Westchester. Already – volunteers are expressing interest in helping her adjust to live in the United States. We need to ‘unofficially adopt her’ –help her find happiness, employment, housing here. Her suffering needs to end. She is a real inspiration.

Although we’re happy that Freshta is about to get a second chance, there are many other brave, smart women in Afghanistan who are still suffering and trying to escape. Let’s hope that they have successful futures.

PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Ms. Bato’s MESSAGE:

Good Morning all,  I just received a call from my cousin Freshta. She is in a US Air Base in Germany. I’m so relieved to know she is safe as we had lost contact with her when she was at Kabul airport. We could not talk much as she was using someone else’s phone.

She said “God gave me a second chance in life”. She told me to please reach out to everyone and on her behalf. She wants to give her most sincere and humble thank you to all of you for saving her life.

She mentioned that they will keep her in Germany for a few days. She received medical attention for her wounds that she got from the Taliban. She is going to try to charge and fix her phone and will be in touch with me very soon. I want to thank you everyone for all your support. I hope Freshta will be in the United States very soon.   

Thank You Sofia