Islamabad, 3 April 2023 (TDI): The United States (US) funded scholarships are providing hope for hundreds of Pakistani students affected by severe floods in 2022, enabling them to resume their education.
Hundreds of Pakistani students affected by severe floods in 2022 can now resume their education, thanks to U.S. scholarships. The new scholarships build on long-standing U.S. support for Pakistan’s schools and universities: https://t.co/idVIkmhNtf@ShareAmerica pic.twitter.com/WOi45aZdj3
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) April 1, 2023
The 500 new scholarships, announced by US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome on 7 March 2023 are part of the US government’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s flood recovery efforts.
The floods, caused by heavy monsoon rains, caused widespread damage and displacement, affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
The US government has pledged more than $200 million in assistance for Pakistan’s flood recovery since August 2022.
This funding provided for immediate needs, such as food, drinking water, nutrition, and shelter assistance. It also aims to help Pakistan rebuild damaged infrastructure and invest in clean energy, disease surveillance, and economic growth.
Ambassador Blome toured a warehouse where @USAID-procured food is being stored for onward distribution to flood affected areas in Sindh and Balochistan. This food is being given to severely malnourished children. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/uHwASiXvBc
— US Consulate Karachi (@usconsulatekhi) February 13, 2023
“Pakistan has suffered from catastrophic floods where millions of people lost their homes and livelihoods,” said Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal. “We welcome US support for flood-affected students.”
These new scholarships for university students continue the ongoing US support for Pakistan’s schools and economic growth, according to Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission Chairman, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed.
The US government has awarded more than 19,000 scholarships to support Pakistani students’ higher education over the past nine years, according to the US Agency for International Development.
This includes 6,000 scholarships awarded in partnership with Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) to financially disadvantaged students through the Merit and Needs-Based Scholarship Program.
“Not only have these scholarships helped secure university education for many underprivileged students, lifting themselves and their families out of poverty.
But they have also helped supply Pakistan with crucial skills and knowledge sets to drive the economy,” Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said.
The countries’ educational cooperation also has trained more than 46,000 teachers and school administrators in Pakistan since 2013 and built or repaired more than 1,600 schools.
During the 2022 floods, schools constructed with US support served as shelters in hard-hit areas, including in Pakistan’s Sindh province.
A newly reconstructed school is employing 50 teachers & educating 1,100 students in Akbarpura! Amb Blome inaugurated the higher secondary school damaged in the 2010 floods. The U.S. invested $1.5 million to rebuild the school & give KP students a brighter future. #AmbBlome pic.twitter.com/DHLnLTPwFx
— USAID Pakistan (@USAID_Pakistan) February 28, 2023
At a March 7 event celebrating International Women’s Day at the Higher Education Commission in Islamabad, US Ambassador Donald Blome announced these 500 US scholarships to Pakistani students.
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In a nutshell, the US scholarships will help flood-affected students to resume their education, empowering them to create a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Therefore, the US government remains committed to supporting Pakistan’s economic growth and development and looks forward to continuing to work closely with the Government of Pakistan and the Pakistani people.
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