DUSHANBE, October 23, 2009, Asia-Plus — 15 Afghan refugee students have been granted DAFI scholarships that gives them an opportunity to study at universities in Tajikistan.
A ceremony of granting DAFI scholarships was held in Dushanbe on October 22.
Speaking at the scholarship-granting ceremony, German Ambassador to Tajikistan, Ms. Doris Hertrampf, noted that Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative Fund (DAFI) is the program that is held annually and grants deserving young refugees scholarships at universities, colleges and polytechnics in their host countries. The program that has been implemented in countries hosting refugees, including Tajikistan, since 1992 is sponsored by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Hertrampf said.
In Tajikistan, the DAFI program has been implemented since 2008. Here, it is implemented by NGO Refugee Children and Vulnerable Citizens (RCVC), which is partner of the UNCHR CO in Tajikistan.
Mr. Ilija Todorovic, Head of the UNHCR CO in Tajikistan, noted that in 2008, higher education scholarships were granted to seven refugee students, while this year, 15 refugee students have been granted the DAFI scholarships for studying at Tajik universities.
While selecting candidates for scholarships they give preference to the following disciplines: computer technologies; teaching; medicine; construction; and economy.
Since August 2009, representatives from UNHCR, German Embassy in Dushanbe and RCVC have considered more than 50 applications and selected 15 best students that are already studying at higher educational institutions in Tajikistan.
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.
According to Mr. Todorovic, more than 4,000 Afghans have taken refuge in Tajikistan over the last several years. Since the beginning of this year, the number of Afghan refugees has increased significantly, he said noting, that 2,200 new refugees have been registered over the report period.
