Scientists were cut off in America and abroad, amid financing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs programs
The Volibright Aubberi’s researcher was supposed to receive their salaries for a period of three months of work by the American government by assisting his educational assistance at the Ukrainian refugee school in Estonia. Instead, he got only one week salaries and there is no word while he may see the rest of his grant.
Lay is among the scientists all over the world who depend on financing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in solid programs such as Fulbright and say that their payments were suddenly cut after notifying that officials are reviewing their activities. This step appears to be in line with the White House initiative to sharply reduce government spending, which is a meager affected dozens of federal agencies.
The government faces more dramatic changes in the coming weeks and months. president Donald Trump The agencies were directed to Preparing plans to explicit workers on a large scaleKnown as the applicable discounts, which are likely to require more limited operations in agencies that provide important services.
The freezing of financing has caused panic among thousands of scientists who have been cut off outside their countries of origin without clarity in the future of their programs or money needed to support themselves.
In February, the US State Department temporarily stopped spending in an attempt to review its programs and activities, According to NAFSAAssociation for International Teachers. This included programs such as Volibright, Gilman and Granting International Critical Language.
In the weeks that officials have passed on to stop the stopping, some scientists and invitation groups said that the flow of dried money in order to grant people, however there is no connection from American officials about whether it will change.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to an investigation by the Associated Press on the freezing of financing.
I found no communication from US officials disturbing. He also left wondering about the future of the program that his grandmother shared decades ago. After that it was It was established in 1946The program has become a pioneer in the US government mission towards culture. The worst for him is what he will mean to his students, especially if he is forced to leave early.
Lay said: “I don’t want to be something else that changes and is sure in their lives.” “I cannot bear this thought.”
Lay said he would be fine for another month, but it is concerned about the participants without providing additional money.
“The clarity that I got is that no one knows what is happening?” He said. “The clarity I got is that every time I asked anyone, they do not know what is happening, and they are just as they are as I am, as we are all.”
Thousands of scholars are in sites similar to their status, according to the Volibright Association, a non -profit group that includes graduates. In an email, the association said that stopping financing the impact “more than 12,500 American students, currently and professionals currently abroad or is scheduled to participate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs programs in the next six months.”
Regardless of American citizens, the Volibright Association also said that a pause reduced funding for American programs that host more than 7400 people.
Halina Morozova, a researcher from Volibright from Kiev, is studying the Ukrainians for students at the South Illinois University Edwardzville, that she was at the airport on February 28 after what appeared to be an endless day. Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Earlier that day in An extraordinary oval office meeting. The future of her country with her family at home was greatly weighing in her mind.
Then I received an email from the International Education Institute, which is usually referred to as IIE, which runs the Volibright grant.
The email said: “IIE is currently accredited by sending a partial salary equivalent for one week from the upcoming expected salary payment.” “We will update you on future payments as soon as possible.”
Morozova panic. You usually get $ 750 every month. Now, she must extend $ 187.50 to cover their expenses.
“It was very frightening, I would like to say, not only because I am lost in another country,” she said. “We don’t know if we’re going to get another salary here, and if they have enough money to buy our tickets to the house. So there are a lot of things that are not clear and unconfirmed.”
Olga Bzanova, a professor who runs Morozova and two other sciences, said that the exchange program has been present for nearly two decades in her university, becoming the cornerstone of their linguistic education. Now, she is trying to find out if her university will complete the money that is withheld by the federal government. If it doesn’t work, she said she is not sure of what can be done.
“I have to look at the faces of these wonderful people, and they ask me:” Is this America? What is this? “This is a chaos.”
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Olivia Diaz is a member of the Associated Press Corps/report of America’s news. Report on America It is a non -profit national service program that places journalists in local news rooms to report secret issues.
