WASHINGTON: To help university students from Pakistan’s flood-affected districts finish their degrees, the US government granted 500 new scholarships.
Last year’s catastrophic monsoon rains and flooding, which caused over eight million people to be displaced and over 1,700 fatalities, hurt Pakistan’s economy.
Donald Blome, the US ambassador to Pakistan, announced the scholarships during a celebration of female students’ accomplishments on International Women’s Day at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Islamabad. Ned Price, a spokesman for the State Department, verified this today.
Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, the head of the National Disaster Management Authority, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Dr. Shaista Sohail, Dr. Reed Aeschliman, university vice chancellors, students, and alumni were also present in addition to Ahsan Iqbal, the federal minister of planning.
“The United States, via USAID, has provided scholarships for meritorious yet financially challenged individuals to pursue further education at premier Pakistani colleges,” Price shared in his press briefing.
He explained how the US government has collaborated with the HEC to offer over 6,000 scholarships through a merit- and needs-based scholarship programme.
These scholarships have given out to women about 60% of the time.
The successes of our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, and daughters in the domains of politics, business, culture, and the arts are not the only things to be honoured on International Women’s Day. According to Ambassador Blome, the announcement of the scholarships included a call to action to hasten gender parity and dispel gender stereotypes.
Today is recognised as International Women’s Day all throughout the world. It is an annual day commemorated across the globe every year on March 8 to celebrate the achievements of women and strive for their rights to progress.
“Millions of people in Pakistan lost their homes and means of support due to catastrophic flooding. For their humanitarian reaction, the United States and other contributors merit credit. “We appreciate the US aiding students who were touched by the disaster,” the federal planning minister said.
