A group of 19 Afghan trainee female doctors has arrived in Edinburgh to complete their medical degrees after being forced to abandon their studies by the Taliban. The women reached the UK on Tuesday following a three-year campaign led by the parents of Linda Norgrove, a Scottish charity worker who was tragically killed during a US special forces rescue attempt in 2010.
The Linda Norgrove Foundation, established by her parents John and Lorna Norgrove, facilitated the students’ safe passage and arranged their enrollment in four medical schools in Scotland. These women, who had been confined to their homes in fear since the Taliban regained power, were granted student visas and provided with places at medical schools after Scottish ministers adjusted the law to classify them as home students, making them eligible for free tuition.
The foundation navigated numerous legal and bureaucratic challenges to bring the women to the UK. This included organizing English language tests, arranging university interviews via Skype, and securing their travel to Pakistan for UK visa applications. The foundation spent approximately £60,000 on these efforts.
Many of the students were based in Kabul, while others came from remote provinces such as Bamyan, Wardak, and Daykundi. They flew to the UK from Islamabad, Pakistan.
Omulbanin Sultani, one of the students, expressed her gratitude, stating that the Norgroves had “saved our lives in every sense of the word” by supporting them through their ordeal. Zahra Hussaini, another student, shared her hopes of returning to a safer Afghanistan after completing her studies.
John Norgrove praised the collaboration between the UK and Scottish governments in making the project possible, noting that these young women now have the opportunity to rebuild their futures and pursue their medical careers.
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