Rwanda to host dozens of Afghan schoolgirls, education ministry says

Following the seizing of power of Taliban militants in Afghanistan, the Rwandan government has announced its intention of hosting dozens of Afghan schoolgirls.

Shabana Basij-Rasikh, the founder of a privately run School of Leadership, Afghanistan (Sola), said on Tuesday that about 250 students, staff and family members were en-route to Rwanda, through Qatar, to begin a “semester abroad for our entire student body”.

Rwanda’s education ministry tweeted a message of welcome to the Sola community:

The Ministry of Education looks forward to welcoming the SOLA community to Rwanda for your study program. Murakaza neza. https://t.co/SFGRrWiSiA

— Ministry of Education | Rwanda (@Rwanda_Edu) August 24, 2021

Ms Basij-Rasikh said they hoped to resettle temporarily and wanted to return to Afghanistan when the situation permitted.

On social media, she said her heart breaks for her country.

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“I’ve stood in Kabul, and I’ve seen the fear, and the anger, and the ferocious bravery of the Afghan people. I look at my students, and I see the faces of the millions of Afghan girls, just like them, who remain behind”, she added.