- Title: Afghanistan female robotics team denied U.S. visas, will compete on Skype
- Date: 4th July 2017
- Summary: HERAT, AFGHANISTAN (JULY 4, 2017) (REUTERS) TRAFFIC DRIVING VARIOUS OF HERAT'S STREETS MEMBERS OF AFGHANISTAN'S GIRLS ROBOTICS TEAM GETTING OFF CAR SIGN READING (Dari) "AFGHANISTAN ROBOTICS HOUSE" VARIOUS OF GIRLS FROM AFGHAN ROBOTICS TEAM CONSTRUCTING ROBOT GIRL HOLDING REMOTE CONTROL AND STEERING ROBOT VARIOUS OF GIRLS FROM AFGHAN ROBOTICS TEAM CONSTRUCTING ROBOT (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) 14-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF AFGHAN ALL FEMALE ROBOTICS TEAM, FATEMAH QADERYAN, SAYING: "We still don't know the reason why we were not granted (U.S.) visas, because the other countries that participate in this competition have been given visa." ROBOT MOVING ON DESK BEING STEERED BY ONE OF AFGHAN GIRLS (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) 14-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF AFGHAN ALL FEMALE ROBOTICS TEAM, FATEMAH QADERYAN, SAYING: "No one knows about the future but if you want something you can achieve it, therefore we did our best and we hope that our robot could get a position along other robots from other countries." GIRLS SITTING AND LOOKING AT ROBOT MOVING (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) 14-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF AFGHAN ALL FEMALE ROBOTICS TEAM, FATEMAH QADERYAN, SAYING: "We are really disappointed that we were not given the visas (U.S visas)." VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF AFGHAN GIRLS ROBOTICS TEAM PLAYING VOLLEYBALL AT THEIR SCHOOL GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) 17-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF AFGHAN ALL FEMALE ROBOTICS TEAM, LIDA AZIZI, SAYING: "All of the countries can participate in the competitions, but we can't, so it's a clear insult for the people of Afghanistan." MEMBERS OF AFGHANISTAN'S GIRLS ROBOTICS TEAM STUDYING AT CLASS (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) 17-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF AFGHAN ALL FEMALE ROBOTICS TEAM, LIDA AZIZI, SAYING: "This should not be the only robot that we have made. Our goal is to make more robots in the future in order to advance and have better achievements in this way." GIRLS SITTING AT CLASS
- Embargoed: 18th July 2017 16:28
- Keywords: Afghanistan's female robotic team U.S. visas Herat city
- Location: HERAT, AFGHANISTAN
- City: HERAT, AFGHANISTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Science
- Reuters ID: LVA0016OAVZNR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A group of all-girl Afghan robotics team prepared on Tuesday (July 4) for the first International Robot Olympics in Washington they intend to compete in via Skype after they were denied entry to the United States.
The group of six teenage girls from the western Herat province of Afghanistan, started robotics class in January and produced their robot within two weeks, the first ever robot ever made by an all-girl team in the war ravaged-country.
After making an 800 kilometre (500 mile) journey to the U.S. embassy in Kabul, the girls were notified their visa applications had been denied.
The girls said they were disappointed and felt the visa denial was an insult to their country.
The robot made by the team was shipped to United States and will be entered in the FIRST Global Challenge competition being held in Washington, D.C. on July 16-18. The team will join via Skype.
Afghanistan is one of the most difficult places in the world for women to get education or find employment outside home. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None