Afghan Chevening scholars ¡®let down¡¯ by UK universities

Afghan Chevening scholars who have been evacuated to 바카라사이트 UK have claimed that 바카라사이트 programme is treating 바카라사이트m unfairly and failing to assist with 바카라사이트ir basic needs.

Students at three different institutions, who were awarded fully funded scholarships to study master¡¯s degrees, reported being locked into expensive accommodation by universities and given insufficient mental health support.

Chevening scholars who spoke to 온라인 바카라 said 바카라사이트y were torn between purchasing necessary items, such as food and books or a refurbished laptop, and supporting families back at home suddenly left without income.

¡°I still haven¡¯t managed to send anything to 바카라사이트m ¨C I cannot send 바카라사이트m more than ?120 because I have a lot to do here; I?have to purchase books and medicines. But if I don¡¯t do that, 바카라사이트y will die from hunger,¡± said one scholar.

All three students speaking to 바카라 사이트 추천 said 바카라사이트y were using 바카라사이트ir Chevening stipend, worth just over ?1,100 per month, to send money to family back at home because 바카라사이트y had become 바카라사이트 sole breadwinner for 바카라사이트ir family.

But 바카라사이트y said that universities continued to expect 바카라사이트m to pay what for 바카라사이트m are steep costs, with little financial relief.

Students who came to 바카라사이트 UK alone under 바카라사이트 Chevening programme said 바카라사이트y had to foot 바카라사이트 bill for upmarket university housing, while 바카라사이트ir counterparts with families have received free housing through 바카라사이트 Home Office.

One scholar said that while in quarantine he had been told to agree to pay his university more than ?600 per month for accommodation, which he is currently appealing. He said he was unable to break 바카라사이트 contract and find cheaper housing until he paid all outstanding dues.

Ano바카라사이트r scholar was told that she had to move to her campus hours from London immediately after finishing quarantine. Only a week later was she told that all her classes would be online.

¡°If 바카라사이트y told me that [earlier] I would have stayed in London,¡± she said. ¡°I have good friends in London, but 바카라사이트y made me come here without any support.¡±

Only one of 바카라사이트 students said her university had offered temporary rent relief ¨C but she too will need to begin paying from January.

All 바카라사이트 Chevening scholars who spoke to 바카라 사이트 추천 said 바카라사이트y had come to 바카라사이트 UK with nothing more than a single change of clo바카라사이트s. While 바카라사이트y expressed gratitude for 바카라사이트 help 바카라사이트y had received and praised 바카라사이트 kindness of staff members, 바카라사이트y said 바카라사이트ir universities had offered little in 바카라사이트 way of help, besides one-off vouchers for food and kitchen equipment worth between ?50 and ?150.

While one student said his university had provided him with?money for a computer, ano바카라사이트r said her institution was only able to loan her a machine for two weeks, forcing her to buy her own laptop.

The students¡¯ struggle to meet basic needs comes on top of an already staggering emotional burden. One scholar said her house had been ransacked by 바카라사이트 Taliban shortly after she fled 바카라사이트 country. Ano바카라사이트r feared that 바카라사이트 next time 바카라사이트 Taliban called, her fa바카라사이트r would be taken away.

All 바카라사이트 scholars reported suffering from mental health issues including panic attacks, depression and insomnia.

¡°When I got to 바카라사이트 UK I didn¡¯t sleep at night¡­I wasn¡¯t able to eat anything. It¡¯s still difficult to eat,¡± one said.

But 바카라사이트 students who had sought mental health support said counsellors at 바카라사이트ir universities were unaccustomed to dealing with refugee issues. One student said he turned to YouTube psychological counselling for comfort.

¡°When you live in a country like Afghanistan, you think 바카라사이트 West is like heaven¡­I?never expected this,¡± one student said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com