More than 80 Afghan women studying in Oman under a U.S.-funded scholarship are facing deportation back to Afghanistan after the program was canceled as part of the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid. The women received an email informing them of the termination of the scholarship program, which was part of the USAID initiative at the Middle East College of Oman. The Afghan students fear persecution and life-threatening risks if they are forced to return to Afghanistan, where the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on women.
The students have appealed for urgent help to continue their studies abroad and avoid being sent back to Afghanistan. The scholarship program, called the Women’s Scholarship Endowment, was launched in 2019 with a $50 million endowment from USAID. Interest from the endowment covered the program’s costs without additional funding from the U.S. government. Nonprofit groups are working with the Omani government to find a solution to prevent the deportation of the Afghan students.
Since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, they have imposed harsh restrictions on women, including banning them from education and employment. Members of Congress, including Rep. Seth Moulton, have criticized the cancellation of the scholarship program, calling it “shameful” and warning that it could be a death sentence for the affected women. Afghan students say that being sent back to Afghanistan would mean the loss of their education and opportunities, urging the U.S. government to reconsider its decision.
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