Mountain2Mountain was founded in November 2006 by Shannon Galpin. Shannon took action on her deep conviction that all women and girls deserve the same rights and opportunities as her own daughter. She walked away from her career as an athletic trainer and used her own limited funds to launch M2M and “be the change” she wished to see in the world. Shannon recruited volunteers and donors and developed collaborative partnerships with others working across the globe to create a voice and empower women and girls in conflict zones. After collaborating on two projects in Pakistan and Nepal, Shannon travelled to Afghanistan to develop M2M’s initial projects.
Today, M2M is a burgeoning nonprofit that has touched the lives of hundreds of men, women and children. M2M has launched projects across Afghansitan to create opportunities that were unimaginable ten years ago. In 2009, Shannon became the first woman to ride a mountain bike in Afghanistan in an effort to challenge perceptions of gender barriers and show a different side of Afghanistan back home. She returned in 2010 with her bike again to ride across the Panjshir Valley. This led to the creation of the annual Panjshir Tour, a series of grassroots rides in the US to benefit Mountain2Mountain’s programs.
After visiting several women’s prisons across Afghanistan, Shannon found herself in the women’s prison of Kandahar contemplating the power of voice. This led to the next evolution of Mountain2Mountain’s programming expanding out Afghanistan with our first domestic program. We believe in the power of voice as a catalyst for social action, and now we are using that founding vision along with the power of voice to spark action at home with young women at risk to create Strength in Numbers, launching spring 2013.
This fall, M2M returns to Afghanistan to bring their groundbreaking photography exhibition, Streets of Afghanistan, to the streets of Kabul as a series of public street art exhibitions. Continuing their founding ethos of connecting communities and cultures and believing that the power of voice has the power to create change.
For more information visit our website at www.mountain2mountain.org
Mountain2Mountain: Field Notes 
I was in Kabul last March for a couple weeks with Global Exchange and really want to go back as a volunteer. I am an ex English teacher, working on getting my certificate back and meanwhile work for the American Red Cross. Any chance I might be able to volunteer with your organization for a few weeks? I believe strongly in education for women and girls, whether vocational and/or academic, and am looking for an opportunity to be useful. Can you help me? I will be happy to provide a resume and references.
Best Regards’
Leslie Miller
Dear Sir/Madem
The webside is really use full
the only needed is the contact
detials are not avalibal in this
we side I would like to know
the add of your orgonizaion in Kabul
Best regards
Rahimi
Note: waiting for your soonest reply
You can reach us through our website at http://www.mountain2mountain.org or email us at info@mountain2mountain.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
Hey, I am a platoon leader in the US Army, stationed here in Kabul. We have been doing a lot of projects working with the local schools, focusing on the girl’s schools since they usually need the most help, (rebuilding, school materials, water wells, etc.) and would be more than happy to help you out in any way you might need. I work in some of the outlying districts of Kabul, in the smaller, poorer villages to the north of the city, but also work in some corners of the city. Let me know if there is any assistence we might ever be able to give, I would love to meet you if you come to Afghanistan while we are here. Thank you for what you do.
Thanks so much Joshua – I would love to say hi when I’m in Kabul at some point. Send me your contact email at info@mountain2mountain.org Stay safe!!
Joshua, I would like to hear more about the military’s work you mention. I have worked for DoD as a civilian trainer with soldiers and Marines deploying to Afghanistan.
very inspiring, thank you for creating mountain2mountain 🙂
Hi Shannon and team, congratulations on a fantastic initiative. I have sent an email with some considerations for spreading the word in the Australasian region. I hope to hear from you soon.
This is SUCH an inspiring organisation ! What is the best way to help / get involved ? Volunteer ? Do solo rides to raise awareness ?
I really like what you do. Keep going! Afghanistan must be a marvelous country and I hope that people find peace and liberty after all these hard times. I love cycling and we are reading books in our I class about girls in Afghanistan. I am the teacher, so it’s time to DO something. I just sent you a little donation.
Thanks Wolfgang, so glad that your students are learning about this region and that teachers like you are so engaged. Let me know if I can ever help. All the best and thank you for the support!!