Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has congratulated five students from the state who were selected for the Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (KL-YES) programme, an annual programme fully funded by the US Department of State for intercultural exchanges. These five students from the state were among the 30 students who were selected for KL-YES from India and all of them are alumni of the Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (APSWREIS), as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
When they, accompanied by the Social Welfare Minister Merugu Nagarjuna, met the CM at his camp office on Thursday, August 31, the chief minister congratulated them and announced Rs 1 lakh financial aid for them. Further, he presented a tab to each of them and inquired about the family background and education details of the students. Additionally, he directed the authorities to monitor them even after they complete their studies in the USA and return, plus extend all possible aid to further their education. Meanwhile, two students from the state who were selected last year for the programme and returned from the USA also met the chief minister on the occasion.
KL-YES program was established by the US Congress in October 2002 in response to the events of September 11, 2001, for a better people-to-people connection. Every year, students from around 38 countries across Africa, West Asia, South Asia, and South-East Asia get selected for the programme.
During the one-year stay in the USA, the selected students enroll in schools. They have to follow the entire school process including examinations, sports and co-curricular activities. The selected students stay with the host families. They also receive a monthly financial stipend of around 200 dollars (Rs 16,500 approximately).
Financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to each of the five students was provided by the Department of Social Welfare to meet initial expenses towards the purchase of essential items like luggage bags, quality clothing, smartphones, and mobile sim (in the US).
The five students selected for the students from the state among the 554 applications after tough rounds of filtering and interviews are:
D Naveena from Markapuram in Prakasam district
S Gyaneswara Rao from Visakhapatnam
Roda Evanjili from Visakhapatnam
Hashini Baliga from Gooty, Anantapur
Ch Akanksha from Edupugallu, Krishna district
