Even the name carries hope: the “Omid Farda” scholarship, Persian for ” hope for tomorrow,” aims to offer Afghan students the prospect of studying in Bremen. After all, studying has become almost impossible in Afghanistan since August 2021. University closures, forced de-registrations, and acts of repression were and are the order of the day. Even though the country’s major universities resumed teaching at the beginning of the year, not every student has free access to university education again. Women in particular are still not welcome at universities or are systematically prevented from attending classes.
“Thanks to residual funds, we have the unique opportunity to directly help students in need,” Frauke Meyer, director of finance and administration at the University of Bremen, says and explains the basic idea behind the Omid Farda Scholarship. The scholarship is aimed at Afghans who were unable to begin or complete their studies under Taliban rule. “Even if it’s only a drop in the ocean,” Meyer continues, “we want to do what we can and make it possible for ten people to study in Bremen who have found themselves in life-threatening situations and face shattered career plans through no fault of their own.”