From Kabul to Lviv
3 April 2024
When Pen Farthing, a Sergeant in the British Royal Marines, befriended a dog in Helmand Province in 2006, he had no idea it would change the course of his life. The charity he founded, Nowzad, is now active in Ukraine as well as Afghanistan.
You might have come across Pen Farthing in the British media during the final days of the evacuation of Kabul, following the country’s fall to the Taliban in August 2021. Amid the chaotic evacuations, Pen stood strong, calmly negotiating with British, American and Taliban authorities to secure safe passage for his 67 staff and the animals in his charity’s care.
Pen describes the scenes. “It was crazy. We had a privately chartered plane, but we couldn’t get permission to land it. I managed to get all my people to the airport, only for the rules to change and for them to be denied access. We were there when two suicide bombers blew themselves up, killing 170 people. It was horrific. Not a week I will ever forget.”
Heading back into a conflict zone
Having safely evacuated all of his staff overland and extracted all the animals who could travel (see Chaos in Kabul for more details), you might have thought Pen would be pleased to settle into a quieter life back at his home in Exeter. But within six weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pen was heading back into a conflict zone to see how Nowzad could help.
Pen tells us: “Wherever there is war or conflict, animals suffer terribly, as the owners they depend on are killed or forced from their homes. People sometimes say to me that looking after the population is more important. That’s fine. There are hundreds of agencies and charities that do that very well. Be we’re proud to look out for the defenceless animals. That’s what we do.”
Focusing on shipments of supplies
When Pen got to Ukraine, he quickly realised there were better courses of action than taking animals out of the country. There was already unsustainable pressure on animal shelters in Europe. Mass vaccination programmes for strays were non-existent, and many governments quickly banned the import of dogs and cats from Ukraine for fear of disease. “We decided that supporting animal shelters and animal welfare volunteers in Ukraine was the way forward,“ Pen confirms. “We focus on shipments of dog and cat food, medical supplies including vaccinations and microchips and humanitarian support for the shelter teams and volunteers.”
A connection to the positive side of humanity
While he was in Ukraine, Pen also connected with the military on the frontline. “That first trip, I visited Bucha and Irpin to the northwest of Kyiv, directly after the Russians had withdrawn. It was shocking. Civilian casualties were lying in the street where they had been shot, shopping bags by their side.
“For the frontline Ukrainian soldiers, befriending stray dogs and cats gives them a much-needed connection to the positive side of humanity. Sorting out channels for supporting those animals and bringing them back to safety within Ukraine is part of that.”
Today, Nowzad sends an average of two weekly shipments of around 14 tonnes of dog and cat food and medical supplies. The Nowzad Lviv warehouse employs two Ukrainian nationals who organise onward distribution to shelters and volunteer groups in the east.
So how is all this funded? “Everything we do is funded by the generosity of the public. It’s relentless keeping the charity going with our clinic and donkey sanctuary still operating in Kabul and this operation in Ukraine, but we manage to keep the wheels turning.
“What we really need are a couple of millionaires to take the pressure off. Surely, with Bellwood Prestbury’s connections, you could hook us up with someone?”
PROTECTING NOWZAD’S PEOPLE
Nowzad staff are protected with high-risk international insurance provided by Bellwood Prestbury. Pen says that’s an essential part of the operation. “We had been using Bellwood Prestbury for over ten years in Afghanistan. When Ukraine kicked off, I knew they would be able to sort out cover, and as usual, they didn’t disappoint.”
Could you support Nowzad?
You don’t have to be a millionaire – every penny will be gratefully received: www.nowzad.com/donate
More insights
- 03/04/2024 Neom: Open for Business
- 03/04/2024 Red Zone Cover Being Withdrawn in the UK
- 03/04/2024 Is Political Instability on the Rise?
- 03/04/2024 Chaos in Kabul
