Supporter Spotlight: Natalie's Ultramarathon
Supporter Spotlight: Natalie 🌟
Today, we’re celebrating Natalie - an incredible supporter of Women for Women International, who recently completed an astonishing 86-mile ultramarathon to raise vital funds for women survivors of war.
A passionate advocate for women’s empowerment, Natalie took on this epic solo challenge to push her limits and support a cause that focusses on creating lasting change. In this blog, she shares what inspired her, how she found strength through solidarity and sisterhood and why supporting women is worth every blister and mile.
On 31st May 2025, Natalie Crawford laced up her running shoes for a remarkable milestone - her 10th ultramarathon. She set out to cover 86 miles along the historic Ridgeway National Trail, from Buckinghamshire to the ancient Avebury Stone Circle in Wiltshire. However, this wasn’t a run for personal glory. Natalie took on the challenge, running day and night, to stand in solidarity with women survivors of war, raising over £1,000 for Women for Women International - an incredible amount that will help transform women and girl's lives in some of the world’s most dangerous places.
Although Natalie set out to take on the challenge alone, she soon experienced the same strength that carries so many women through our programmes: sisterhood. At mile 20, just as she began to struggle, she met a fellow runner - a complete stranger - who stayed by her side for the rest of the race. Together, they lifted each other up and kept going. Like the women in our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme, Natalie discovered that when women come together, they build lasting bonds that inspire them to keep moving forward - and to be their strongest, most resilient selves.
We formed a bond that got us through the night, to the sunrise and on to the finish. We finished hand in hand and will be friends for life now.
However, the race was far from easy. From around the halfway point, Natalie began suffering intense foot pain and blisters - enduring around 40 miles in serious discomfort. Yet, Natalie refused to give up. She kept going by holding onto the purpose behind her challenge - a cause much greater than herself.
Thinking of the women supported by Women for Women International played a huge part in enabling me to keep going.
This sense of purpose fuelled her every step. Natalie chose to support Women for Women International because she believes in the power of women to overcome unimaginable hardship and build lasting change in the aftermath of conflict.
I care passionately about supporting women and I love that Women for Women International does this by creating long lasting change, empowering women to reclaim their lives.
Her words reflect the very heart of our mission: to equip women survivors of war with the tools, support and resources they need not just to survive, but thrive.
Natalie’s strength, perseverance and determination are a powerful reflection of the women we serve - women who rebuild their lives after conflict with courage and hope. By taking on this challenge, Natalie didn’t just achieve a personal goal - she stood in solidarity with women facing some of the toughest circumstances in the world. Her story is more than a personal triumph; it’s an act of sisterhood, a symbol of resilience and a source of inspiration for us all.
When asked if she’d do something like this again, she shared:
Yes, but maybe not that long a distance. Probably best to wait until my feet stop hurting to make any long-term decisions!
Natalie, thank you for your courage, compassion and commitment. Your incredible effort is helping women survivors of war access the support, training and opportunities they need to rebuild their lives.
Feeling inspired by Natalie’s story?
You can take on your own challenge and make a difference too. Start fundraising for Women for Women International today.
Read more
At Women for Women International, we count a number of dedicated and compassionate male staff among our global community working towards a more equitable future. I spoke to several of our male colleagues – from Iraq and South Sudan, to DRC and the UK. I asked what allyship means to them, how their work has shaped their understanding of gender justice, and what they’ve learned from the women in their lives. What emerged was not just a collection of stories, but a testament to the quiet, determined work of transformation – both personal and societal. ​​​​​​
CSW 69: One Month Later
subtitle:
Read our reflection blog on CSW 69 - coming 30 years after the landmark Beijing Platform for Action, it felt like a once-in-a-generation opportunity - an invitation for bold thinking, for reshaping decision-making spaces, and for shifting the dial on whose expertise is recognised and integrated into peacebuilding and the broader Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.
Reparations and the WPS Agenda
subtitle:
Read about Global Policy and Advocacy Manager, Maryline Njoroge's reflections on presenting at a panel at the GIMAC conference: “Peace, Security, and Reparative Justice: Addressing the colonial legacy and its gendered impact”.