Graduates of EAA Foundation’s Qatar Scholarship for Afghans (QSAP) Project Exhibit Success at US ‘Bard College’ Ceremony
The Education Above All (EAA) Foundation celebrated, with the support of its strategic partner, the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), the graduation of the first group, consisting of Twenty-five Afghan refugee students. These students represent part of the total group of 250 students in the Qatar Scholarship for Afghans Project (QSAP) from the prestigious US university, Bard College in New York, United States.
The Afghan students, all of whom had their education interrupted when they were residing in their home country, were provided with the opportunity through EAA’s QSAP to complete their studies and ultimately enhance their future professional opportunities, helping them grow into productive, engaged citizens.
Speaking about the graduates’ success, Talal Al-Hothal, Director of the Al Fakhoora Programme at Education Above All Foundation, said: “We are proud of our graduates, whose success today highlights the crucial role higher education plays in the empowerment of refugees and displaced youth. Through the Qatar Scholarship for Afghans Project, we are able to provide life-changing opportunities for these remarkable youth, enabling them to reach their academic potential and equipping them to embark on successful professional careers and contribute to their communities. Our program leverages strategic international partnerships to amplify the impact of our scholarships, and these collaborations have made it possible for us to offer Afghan students many opportunities for advancement, innovation, and success. We look forward to witnessing the positive changes they will bring to the world.”
“Congratulations to the QSAP students graduating from Bard and other colleges and universities across the U.S.,” said Jonah Kokodyniak, Executive Vice President of IIE. “Today marks a huge accomplishment for these young people. Not only have they overcome significant adversity to earn their degrees, but they have made numerous contributions to their university communities and are poised to take on future leadership positions. We at IIE have been honored to support these talented students and to work with the program’s partners and word-class higher education institutions like Bard College to help them realize their full potential.”
The Qatar Scholarship for Afghans Project has provided full scholarships for Afghan refugees at more than 40 colleges and universities throughout the United States, including Bard College, Rutgers University, and the University of Texas at Austin, among others.
QSAP was founded in 2021 through a robust collaboration between EAA Foundation, its strategic partner the Qatar Fund for Development, and project partners the Institute of International Education, Afghan Future Fund, Schmidt Futures, the Yalda Hakim Foundation, and the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisers Fund.
Afghanistan faces a critical humanitarian crisis, and UNHCR estimates that 23.7 million people in the country are in dire need of immediate and vital humanitarian relief. UNHCR also reports more than 3.25 million internally displaced people and 5.3 Million Afghan refugees and asylum seekers who are registered in neighboring countries.
Education continues to be a cornerstone for Afghanistan’s society as it offers multi-sectoral solutions across economy, society, politics, and peace-building efforts. It is critical for ensuring the viability of Afghanistan’s future and its long-term development through human capital, poverty reduction, social cohesion, gender equality as well as peace and stability.
For more information about the Qatar Scholarship for Afghans Project, please visit https://qsap.org
For more information about Bard College, please visit https://www.bard.edu/
For media inquiries, please contact:
Patience Rusare
Senior Media Specialist
parusare@eaa.org.qa
+974-5993-1560
Mohamed Al-Amri
Senior Media Relations Specialist
msalih@eaa.org.qa
+974-5000-9960
