US Blocks $25 Million Grant, Leaving Afghan Women's University Financially Adrift

A student named Laila received an email in the middle of the night that signaled a major change in her education. The United States has stopped funding the American University of Afghanistan, a move that removes the primary financial support for one of the few remaining institutions where women in the country can pursue higher degrees.

Laila, a mid-twenties student in political science and international studies, is one of approximately 1,000 enrolled at the university. Roughly three-quarters of the student body are women. Since the Taliban seized the physical campus, Laila and her classmates attend lectures online from their homes. They use aliases and often keep their cameras off to maintain privacy. "I just know their voices," she said.

Laila’s path to the university was interrupted by the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. She was studying at another university in Kabul with two exams remaining when the takeover occurred. After the Taliban banned women's education in December 2022, she left her degree unfinished. She later secured a scholarship to the American University of Afghanistan and began her studies anew. "Not every girl got that opportunity," she noted.

Daily life for these students is shaped by constant fear. Some peers have received threatening calls and messages. Laila worries that Taliban authorities might search her phone and discover university-related emails. She reported that officials have entered her home multiple times to inspect family belongings. "It's always in the back of my head that maybe tomorrow it's my turn," she said.

The university opened in 2006 with millions of dollars committed by the United States. Former First Lady Laura Bush announced the funding, stating the goal was to train future leaders, with a particular focus on women. Patrick Fine, the former Afghanistan mission director at USAID, recalled that many inside the agency viewed the project as risky. Some critics at the time considered it a waste of money. The Bush administration, however, saw an opportunity to stabilize a young democracy and build goodwill for the interim government.

Support for the university later faced scrutiny in Washington. US inspectors began investigating the institution's finances in 2016. By 2018, they concluded that poor accounting made it difficult to trace exactly how aid money was spent. John Sopko, a former US federal inspector who oversaw the probe, said, "I was surprised they were still funding AUAF."

This year, the State Department press office told Deutsche Welle that the decision to end funding reflected the university's history of repeated lack of accountability for millions of American taxpayer dollars. Fine rejected this explanation, calling it smear tactics. He acknowledged that earlier audits found the university struggled with USAID's extensive rules but stated that they did not find major fraud. He described the university as a worthy investment because it remains one of the few organizations still reaching Afghan women.

The United States has long been the largest donor, paying nearly 90 percent of the bills as of 2018 according to a US report. The State Department said the university is free to identify other funders and partners, meaning the end of American money does not necessarily mean the end of its operations. However, with the $25 million grant now refused, the university's future remains uncertain.

For Laila, the news has been devastating. She said she has lost all her motivation and hope. She wonders each time she prepares for a lecture whether another will follow. She has barely left her room since learning of the cut. She had expected to graduate years ago and begin studying for a master's degree abroad. Now, she thinks she may find a way to continue in five or ten years.