The group, made up mostly of graduates in general medicine (12), also included recent graduates in musical arts, paediatrics, pedagogy, applied geology and aeronautical engineering, as well as masters in mechanics, oil and gas geology, human resource management, informatics and computer science and financial technology and data analysis.
Cesaltina Bastos, who lived in the Russian city of Rostov-na-donu for seven and a half years, where she graduated in general medicine, was one of the scholarship recipients this Thursday received to the sound of the Kapossoca symphony orchestra, to which three of the newly minted students belong.
The Angolan told Lusa that she dedicated her first year to learning the language, "very complex", and the rest to training, stressing that, despite the difficulties of living in a foreign country and far from her family, the desire to study was more strong.
"But we left psychologically prepared, (we knew) that the difficulties would be many, but that we would win, because we left here with a purpose", said Cesaltina Bastos, also highlighting the help they had from several people, namely friends, teachers and Russian colleagues.
The last year, marked by the war between Russia and Ukraine, was "a lot of panic", said the graduate, noting that she did not directly feel the effects of the war, only the sanctions applied to the country.
"But we heard so much news, 'fake news', and that left us very destabilized and also destabilized the families here, it was difficult to reconcile that, they thought we were hiding information, which was not true. We were afraid (we didn't know) if we were really going to be able to finish and receive the diplomas without being attacked, but that didn't happen", he stressed.
"We were very sorry, we felt sorry for what happened in Ukraine, because they are our compatriots, war is just destruction, deaths, we were really sorry about that", she added.
For his part, Eduardo Barradas, who graduated in musical art, considered the "very good experience", highlighting what he learned during the time he lived away from his family.
"It was difficult at first, because I went to a city where I was the only African in my college", he told Lusa, still describing the experience as "useful and pleasant".
"I learned a lot, I developed more as a person, I learned to manage on my own, without my mother's presence", he said.
Now graduated, continued Eduardo Barradas, who lived for five years in the city of Voronezh, intends to continue his musical career, in the symphonic orchestra of Kaposoca, where he started his taste for music.
"The last year was normal for us, despite the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. There were some conflicts near my city, but I didn't experience anything negative", he underlined, stressing that access to information was easy and they always had the support from the government.
Maciel Hebo, who also graduated in musical art, in the city of Chelyabinsk, highlighted that the beginning was difficult, "but with all the effort, all the dedication" he managed to achieve positive results.
"It was difficult, at all times dark, but it was still very good, we managed to acquire a good experience. It was more difficult to adapt because of the language, the cultural and linguistic barrier, but then we got used to it", he stressed.
Speaking to the press, the Secretary of State for Higher Education, Eugénio da Silva, expressed satisfaction with the reception of these now graduated students, who will contribute to the development of Angola.
"They arrived in the country today, they fulfilled a mission, they graduated, they returned to the country, they are children of the country who return with their mission accomplished and we congratulate ourselves with this success, wishing that they achieve a good socio-professional integration and that they can give the its contribution in the country", he pointed out.
The official said that, through the Angolan diplomatic mission in Russia, the students were monitored during the war, ensuring that they "did not suffer the impact of this situation of the war between Russia and Ukraine".
"They were well accompanied and so much so that they were able to keep up with their studies, there is another group that still stayed and will continue and for us it is a reason for great satisfaction, for joy to have them here in the country", he said, stating that this is a demonstration of the Angolan executive's commitment to training Angolan staff.
