A group of more than 80 Afghan women who fled the Taliban regime to study in Oman are facing imminent deportation to Afghanistan after their U.S.-funded scholarship was canceled as part of the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid. The female students received an email informing them of the termination of the scholarship program administered by USAID in Oman. The Afghan women are appealing for urgent help to continue their studies abroad and avoid persecution and life-threatening risks in their home country. The Women’s Scholarship Endowment program, launched in 2019 with a $50 million endowment from USAID, provided educational opportunities to Afghan women without requiring additional annual funding from the U.S. government.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, draconian restrictions on women, including bans on education, employment, and freedom, have been implemented, further endangering the Afghan students. The cancelation of the scholarship program has been met with criticism from lawmakers like Rep. Seth Moulton, who called it shameful and urged the Trump administration to reverse course. Nonprofit groups are in discussions with the government of Oman to help resolve the situation and prevent the deportation of the Afghan women back to Afghanistan.
The students fear that returning to Afghanistan would result in the permanent loss of their education and expose them to oppression and insecurity under the Taliban regime. They have pleaded for support to prevent what they believe could be a death sentence if forced to return to their home country. The cancelation of the scholarship program highlights the devastating impact of cutting foreign aid initiatives on the lives of innocent individuals seeking educational opportunities and a better future.
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