Always by Your Side
International students in Russia get help during the epidemic.
Many international students in Russia are currently in self-isolation in dormitories. Russian universities have not neglected them. The trade union committee of South Ural State University purchased some 400 kilogrammes of foodstuffs and volunteers distributed essential food kits among foreign nationals.
Local business people sent a ton of wheat flour, carrots and beats, 2.5 tons of potatoes, 15 litres of sunflower oil, ten sacks of peas, 400 loafs of bread and 300 cans of stewed meat to Kazan Federal University students who live in dormitories. Also, every student received a detergent kit.
Foreign embassies and ethnic communities make their own contributions. The Uzbek community prepared food kits for KFU students; they include butter, minced meat, chicken leg quarters, macaroni, buckwheat, tea, sugar, biscuits and chocolate. Kyrgyz students received humanitarian aid from the consulate general of their country. Tajik and Uzbek communities representatives sent several truckloads of food to their compatriots who study at South Ural State University. The cargo contained fresh fruits, vegetables, greens, flat bread, oil, eggs, rice, groats, macaroni etc.
Kazan Federal University Vietnamese and Chinese students received protective gear kits (face masks, wet wipes, hand sanitizers, medications, and COVID-19 prevention booklets) from diplomatic missions of their countries. A Turkish consulate general representative in Kazan passed face masks to KFU students, as well as national sweets marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. In a flash mob, thankful KFU students in dormitories lit windows to write “rehmet” (thank you) and “we love KFU.”
Not all international students stayed back in Russia; some returned to their homeland and continue to study online. The universities haven’t forgotten about them either. The Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI” rector ordered to partially compensate their travel costs back to the university after the epidemic.
SUSU representatives took Kazakh students to the border when they went home for the period of quarantine. At present, crossing the border is not easy as the two countries suspended flights and railway traffic. Tyumen State University also provided buses to drive students to the border. Local authorities arranged the transportation of students to their homes where they continue to study online.
