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STAFF REPORTER |
WHILE 10 South African students who were forced to flee their Ukrainian universities following Russia invaded the country last month have safely returned home, two are currently in isolation at Ukraine after testing positive for COVID-19.
This is all thanks to a partnership between the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and pharmaceutical company, Aspen Pharmacare, which managed to assist in returning 10 South African students from Ukraine on Thursday, last week.
DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela said: “We want all South Africans to be back home, that’s our primary objective. With the students in particular, the number that we were working on was 25, that’s according to Aspen’s list. However, two has tested positive for
COVID-19 and they are in isolation and it will take 10 days.”
The students were forced to flee the Ukraine into neighbouring countries in the wake of the raging armed conflict.
The 10, who are studying across various universities in the Ukraine, arrived in the country on Thursday morning.
In a joint statement, Aspen and Dirco said that the students and other nationals crossed into neighbouring countries such as Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
“Most did not have the means to return home.”
“After learning of the plight of these students, Aspen Pharmacare joined forces with DIRCO to expedite both the travel arrangements and funding required to assist with their safe return to South Africa. The first group of 10 students will arrive this morning, 10 March 2022, on an Air France Flight at OR Tambo International Airport,” said Aspen and DIRCO.
Aspen Group Senior Executive for Strategic Trade, Stavros Nicolaou, said the Ukraine conflict has created a significant humanitarian crisis, from which a number of South African students studying abroad in the Ukraine have been severely impacted.
“After the weekend appeal to our government and corporate South Africa from many of these students, Aspen, which has a presence in the Ukraine and neighbouring territories decided join forces with the South African government to ensure the timeous and safe return of these students to their home country, so that they can be united with their loved ones,” said Nicolaou.
Nicolaou added that students are the future and it is important that the spirit of Ubuntu
prevailed.
“Our students are our future, and it is important that the spirit of ubuntu prevailed and that together with our government, we were able to move swiftly to ensure their safe and timely return,” said Nicolaou.
Nicolaou said he is hopeful that the students will be able to resume their studies in the not-too-distant future.
Monyela, has thanked Aspen for the partnership.
“We would like to thank Aspen Pharmacare for heeding the call of our government to partner with us and bring our citizens back home. We also want to extend a word of gratitude to all our ambassadors, team of diplomats and South African volunteers (at home and abroad), who played a role in this project. This is the diplomacy of ubuntu in practice,” he said.
–Inside Education