young Afghan woman born and educated in Iran, she repatriated 3 years ago, taking with her the knowledge and skills she acquired, to work and help reconstruct her homeland.
Rozhan Tajik, Media and Culture Officer at HELP NGO in Afghanistan hard at work.
TEHRAN, Islamic Republic of Iran, February 2016 (UNHCR) -Rozhan is a bright 30 year old young Afghan woman and the eldest among the three siblings in her family. Born and educated in Iran, she repatriated 3 years ago, taking with her the knowledge and skills she acquired, to work and help reconstruct her homeland.
Her parents, both from Herat, were single when they fled the war in Afghanistan. They met each other in Iran and eventually settled in Tehran. Her father was a security guard of an apartment building and occasionally did gardening whenever there was an opportunity. He was particularly insistent that all his children pursue good education. He is a high school graduate himself, but never had the opportunity to continue his studies further. For his children he wished a brighter future; one in which they could all be highly educated. “My father encouraged us to learn as much as possible. We all began English classes when we were in primary school”, says Rozhan.
A graduate in cellular molecular biology from Tehran University, one of the most prestigious universities in Iran, Rozhan says, “I was always interested in science; however, it was very difficult for my family with 3 children to afford high educational fees and other related costs”.
Luckily for Rozhan, in her junior year at the university, a relative introduced her to the DAFI (the Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) Scholarship Program. DAFI grants scholarships to qualified young refugees at universities, colleges and polytechnics in their host countries and is the only fund available in Iran for supporting refugees’ tertiary education. The Government of Germany initiated DAFI in 1992, annually providing almost 100% of the funds for the program. “The program is truly a blessing. The university fees were a heavy burden for my family but DAFI helped me cover the majority of my university expenses for the last two years of my Bachelor’s degree.”
However, Rozhan is the only one amongst her siblings lucky enough to have benefited from DAFI. “Looking at my sister, I see how nerve-wrecking financial issues can be and how much negative effect they can have on student’s performance. I was lucky that I could avoid these challenges through DAFI’s support”.
UNHCR attributes great importance to the education of refugees considering its direct link to self-reliance and durable solutions for refugees. Mr. Dhanapala, the UNHCR Representative in Iran says, “UNHCR is grateful to the Government of Germany for the provision of the DAFI scholarship to young Afghans in Iran. Offering this kind of financial support to refugees to pursue academic studies in Iran, gives them the opportunity and hope to aspire towards a brighter future”.
Rozhan fell in love with Afghanistan when she travelled to Herat to get a visa enabling her to attend university in Iran. In her university years, she travelled back often, promising herself that she would help rebuild her country when her studies are finished in Iran. With the abilities she had acquired whilst in Iran, her skills in English and computers as well as university education, she knew she would qualify for a job back home. In 2013, a friend referred her to HELP, an international NGO in Afghanistan, where she has been working since. As HELP’s Media and Culture Officer, she carries out website management, research and reporting. In this capacity, Rozhan also actively promotes tourism within Afghanistan.
“I believe promoting the tourism industry in Afghanistan will significantly contribute to the country, both socially and economically.”
Rozhan serves as a role model for other refugee students, making a strong case for remaining in school and advancing their education. She now looks towards an even brighter future. She successfully qualified for a Fulbright scholarship and now looks forward to studying at a university in the United States in order to obtain a MSc in Public Health in 2016. Although a university has not yet been determined by the selection committee, her first preference is the John Hopkins University.
Rozhan says “I will definitely return upon completion of my studies; the future of our country depends on us”. Enhancing a refugee’s human capital for the future reconstruction of their country of origin upon voluntary repatriation, the DAFI program promotes greater peace and stability in the region.
Although Rozhan’s family remain in Iran, she continues to encourage them to go back home. She goes as far as to actively look for job opportunities for her brother and sister. Her brother currently works at the Afghan Embassy in Iran and her sister is a computer engineer. “I look forward to a day when I will live in Afghanistan with my entire family and, together with my brother and sisters, we will contribute to the rebuilding of our homeland”.
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