Housing group supports Afghan medical students banned from studying

The students are part of a group of female refugees who have travelled to Scotland to study after being banned from attending university in Afghanistan.

They were forced to give up medicine after the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan and clamped down on women’s rights.

Wheatley Foundation has teamed up with Glasgow Afghan United to support the students.

Councillor Bostani with some of the students who received their iPads from Wheatley Group

The charity was set up by Councillor Abdul Bostani in the Maryhill Ward of Glasgow to support the Afghan and Ethnic Minority community in Scotland and help New Scots settle in this country.

Wheatley Foundation Chair, Paddy Gray OBE, said: “As soon as we heard the remarkable story of these young students studying in Glasgow we wanted to help.

“The work of Wheatley Foundation supports young people in our communities to reach their full potential.

“We’re delighted to be able to support these students this way and help them fulfil their ambitions and settle quicker into their new life in Scotland.”

Laura Crumlish, Wheatley Foundation Manager, Cllr Bostani, Wazma Shafaq and Laura Pluck, group director

The Scottish Government amended student funding legislation to ensure the women could be treated as home students and receive free tuition and cost of living support.

Scottish charity the Linda Norgrove Foundation has been supporting the women and secured agreement with four Scottish universities – St Andrews, Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen – where the students will continue their medical degrees as they work to become doctors.

Life-changing

Glasgow student Wazma Shafaq said: “I’m really happy and we really appreciate being invited here to receive the devices as they will really help us with our studies.

Afghan students receive their iPads from Wheatley Group

“Most people use iPads for taking notes and accessing online resources, so it is going to make life easier.

“People use these devices for lots more than studying and it can have a potentially life-changing influence.”

The iPads were donated by Wheatley Foundation’s ‘Techshare’ programme which sees old staff devices upcycled.

Techshare laptops, iPads and tablets help people to get online to study, apply for jobs and training, managing their welfare benefits or just to keep in touch with family and friends.

Councillor Abdul Bostani thanked Wheatley Foundation for supporting the students.

He said: “It was great to see Wheatley stepping up and supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

“The iPads will be used for many years to come and will be very helpful for the girls.

“It’s a big challenge ahead of them but this will hopefully make life a bit easier and I’m very grateful for organisations like Wheatley, who support communities in this way.”