Haiti - France : Scholarship program partially funded!
After the seism of January 12th, at the time of a flying visit, French president Nicolas Sarkosy had promised a major scholarship program raising expectations among massive Haitian students, promises (700) far from reality.
An agreement was finally signed recently with the the Haitian universities and finally 237 scholarships were awarded. Under this agreement, 22 Haitian students at master level (including 5 women) came to Martinique on Saturday to continue their studies at the University of the West Indies and Guiana (Université des Antilles et de la Guyane UAG) where they were welcomed by President Pascal SAFFACHE and the management team of the UAG.
However, it appears that funding of these grants is not fully confirmed "In the current situation, and despite all our efforts, all the financial difficulties have been overcome to provide them [students] a quiet year [...] each student costs about 800 euros per month [...] and concerning second half of the year, we have promises but no money [...] students are accommodated in a hostel for young workers, but the transport and two daily meals are problematic" announced Corinne Mencé-Caster, Dean of the Faculty of Letters.
An association has been established within the UAG to try to find funding for the proper conduct of this project. Obviously France improvised in this program, exploiting once again the words mixing promises and reality. Let us hope only that France will release additional funds quickly and that our Haitian students should not have to rely on local support for (among others) to eat every day, and may continue their studies in better conditions.
