"At least three more people." Sterlitamak is inviting students to the Chuvash language department, fearing the program will be closed due to under-enrollment.

The Sterlitamak branch of Ufa University is encouraging students to study the Chuvash language. Students can choose to study either English or Turkish in addition to Chuvash. However, enrollment is tight: nine state-funded places are available this year. 

How to said Olga, «Regional aspect» Associate Professor of the Chuvash Language Department Lira Afanasyeva, The department remains open. Three more students are needed this year, and then the enrollment will be full. The department itself was founded in 1994. 

"We want to survive, but there are no takers, or there are, but not everyone knows about us, so we decided to put out this call. We still train specialists like these in Chuvashia; in other regions, the program has closed. And we understand that if there's no demand, reorganization is slowly taking place," said Lira Afanasyeva. 

After graduating, graduates will be able to work as teachers of Chuvash, English, and Turkish, as well as journalists and librarians. In short, they won't be left without work, concluded Lira Afanasyeva. 

Illustration by Daria Yun/Black soil.