DUSHANBE, October 22, 2009, Asia-Plus — The UNHCR CO in Tajikistan, the German Embassy in Dushanbe and the public association, Refugee Children and Vulnerable Citizens (RCVC), have announced holding of a ceremony of granting DAFI scholarships in Dushanbe today.
According to the UNHCR CO Office in Tajikistan, since 1992, the Government of Germany has sponsored the annual Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative Fund (DAFI). The program grants deserving young refugees scholarships at universities, colleges and polytechnics in their host countries.
“In Tajikistan, the DAFI project has been implemented since 2008 and higher education scholarships have been offered to 15 refugee students for studying at universities in Tajikistan,” the source said.
In Tajikistan, the DAFI project is being implemented UNHCR’s partner, NGO Refugee Children and Vulnerable Citizens.
The main aim of the DAFI Program is to contribute to human resources development as part of a broader UNHCR strategy of promoting self-reliance and durable solutions for refugees. Refugees with higher education qualifications are more likely to attain self-reliance.
DAFI objectives are to achieve self-reliance and empowerment of the sponsored student and his/her family through gainful employment; to develop qualified human resources in order to contribute to the reconstruction of the country of origin upon repatriation; to contribute to the refugee community pending a durable solution or repatriation (many graduates work in refugee camps, particularly as teachers and community workers); to facilitate integration, temporary or permanent, and contribute skills to the host country if repatriation is not or not yet possible; and to provide role models for other refugee students to further their education, particularly female students to promote girls’ education.
