US Ends $25 Million Grant to Afghanistan University Where Women Study in Secret

The United States has stopped funding the American University of Afghanistan, cutting off the financial lifeline for one of the few institutions where Afghan women can still earn degrees. The State Department confirmed the end of the $25 million grant, leaving the university's future operations uncertain. This move affects approximately 1,000 students, about three-quarters of whom are women.

Laila, a political science student in her mid-twenties, learned of the decision via email. She studies through the university’s online program because the Taliban seized the physical campus. She joins lectures from her home, often with her camera off to protect her identity. "I just know their voices," she said. Her classmates also use aliases to stay safe.

The loss of funding strikes during a period of heightened danger for female students. Laila said Taliban authorities have searched her home multiple times and checked her phone for university correspondence. Some peers have received threatening calls and messages. "It's always in the back of my head that maybe tomorrow it's my turn," she said. The uncertainty has left her feeling crushed and unmotivated.

The university opened in 2006 with support from the Bush administration. Former First Lady Laura Bush announced the commitment, saying the school would train future leaders, particularly women. Patrick Fine, who served as the Afghanistan mission director at USAID, said the agency viewed the project as a way to stabilize a young democracy. He noted that while some critics called it a waste of money, the administration saw it as a strategic investment.

Financial scrutiny intensified in Washington in the years that followed. US inspectors investigated the university's finances starting in 2016. By 2018, they reported that poor accounting practices made it impossible to track exactly how aid money was spent. John Sopko, a former federal inspector, told Deutsche Welle he was surprised the US continued funding the institution after those findings.

The State Department cited the university's history of accountability issues as the reason for the decision. Fine rejected this explanation, calling it smear tactics. He acknowledged the audits found struggles with USAID rules but said they did not uncover major fraud. He maintained that the university remains a worthy investment because it continues to reach Afghan women.

US taxpayers paid for nearly 90% of the university's costs as of 2018. The State Department said the school can seek other partners to continue operations. However, without the American grant, the institution faces a precarious financial position. Laila, who had expected to graduate years ago and pursue a master's degree abroad, now wonders if she will finish in five or ten years.