When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, women and girls were stripped of many, if not most of their rights. Female students were barred from attending university, shattering the dreams of thousands. Now, 19 female Afghan students who had to give up medicine will be able to complete their studies in Scotland.
The project was spearheaded by the Linda Norgrove Foundation, which worked with UK and Scottish governments to arrange visas and places at medical schools. After over three years of work and trying to break through red tape, the students arrived in Edinburgh last week.
The Scottish Government was able to amend student funding, allowing the Afghan women to be treated as home students, meaning they are eligible for free tuition and living costs support . However, the road wasn't easy.
“We and the students have worked to clear many hurdles for them to travel to Scotland: TB tests, English tests, university interviews via Skype, negotiating the border travel to Pakistan to apply for UK visas, Pakistani visas, biometrics, accommodation, student funding applications, student accommodation applications, bank accounts…the list goes on,” writes the Linda Norgrove Foundation.
Despite all the work, it was all worth it. “We’re all delighted to have finally succeeded after so much frustration, said John Norgrove, from the foundation. “Finally these 19 incredibly talented young women get their future back with the opportunity of a tremendous education and a career. The alternative for them in Afghanistan wasn’t good.”
This endeavor spotlights the mission of the Linda Norgrove Foundation, named after a 36-year-old aid worker who devoted her life to helping Afghan people before she was kidnapped and her life was taken during a failed rescue attempt. Norgrove’s parents quickly set up a foundation to continue her mission. Over the last 14 years, the foundation has raised more than £3 million to fund projects for women and girls in Afghanistan.
Omulbanin Sultani, one of the 19 women relocated to Scotland, described the time since the Taliban takeover as the most challenging years for her, her friends, and all women in Afghanistan.
“We endured 1,000 days of suffering to reach this point, 1,000 days of being confined to our homes, 1,000 days of having our voices silenced. One thousand days with nothing but tears and sorrow, 1,000 days of our lives wasting away.”
Now, the 21-year-old will continue her studies at the University of St. Andrews. “When we heard about the visa approval, we were so excited I felt like I was flying. We are going from hell to paradise.”
19 female Afghan students who had to give up their medical studies following the Taliban takeover will be able to complete their education in Scotland.
Welcome to Scotland
19 female Afghan medical students barred by the Taliban from completing their studies have arrived in Scotland to train to become doctors,
thanks to @LindaFoundation, UKG's Scotland Office, @scotgov and Scottish universities.@kirstyjmcneill
1/3 pic.twitter.com/vctpZqVces
— UK Government Scotland (@UKGovScotland) August 21, 2024
The project was spearheaded by the Linda Norgrove Foundation, which worked with UK and Scottish governments to arrange visas and places at medical schools.
Female medical students travel to Scotland to evade Afghanistan's Taliban education ban.https://t.co/wYLjEc4nf6 pic.twitter.com/kWjbVT3ovy
— STV News (@STVNews) August 21, 2024
Linda Norgrove Foundation: Website | Facebook
h/t: [BBC]
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