Aminata funding for stable living at study abroad
Donation protected
Hello,
My name is Aminata and I am currently studying abroad in Senegal. I got hit really quickly with news about COVID-19 as I’m sure we all did during these hard uncertain times. My study abroad with SIT was canceled two months early in response to the virus and advisors recommended that all U.S. students return home, but this was not an option for me. I have been studying abroad this whole school year since September 2019 and was supposed to stay here until May. So, preemptively, all of my financial aid has been sent in advance to my study abroad program since it was covering two quarters.
The major reason I do not feel it’s safe or wise for me to come back to the states at this time is that I reside in Washington state and the virus has hit pretty hard having one the highest death tolls and cases in the United States. I did not want to risk exposing myself to the virus or spreading the disease unknowingly because I would have to stop in Europe for a long layover (some countries have high case/death rates) and then I would have to get on another flight to go to Seattle which is a high-risk city in Washington state to catch the virus. My biggest fear is getting contaminated on my journey back and spreading sickness to other people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19. On top of all that, I do not have a place to stay if I went back to Washington two months early. I would be homeless with nowhere to go because all the money I would've used for housing in the states was used for my study abroad program housing with my host family. On top of that, SIT study abroad in Senegal did not reimburse any students for the time they didn’t spend in the program due to the virus crisis. Staying in Senegal until my original return date is not only cheaper, but safer for me at this time.
My plan was to stay with my host family until I plan to return in May, but then legal issues came to my attention with the SIT study abroad program that gave me LESS THAN 24 hours notice to move out and find a new place to live. In trying to take action in helping myself I withdrew from the program so that I could be a civilian living with my host family who could voluntarily house me since I was no longer part of the program, but sadly that attempt didn’t help me either. SIT still tried to kick me out with barely any notice knowing I had nowhere else to go. My host family was okay with me staying if I could come up with rent money for the next 2 months, but SIT still wanted me out because the homestay family is technically “their property”. My host family was then notified that housing me would mean their contract would be exterminated with SIT indefinitely and that they would not be allowed to host future study abroad students through the SIT program. For SIT, to try to have this much control and say in my living situation and have such persistence is disgusting in the fact that they are threatening other families and their choices as an institutional power are highly problematic in this situation.
I really need help raising funds to pay for my housing and food that will sustain me for the rest of my time here. I am praying that this virus will subside and that there will be a cure and that I’ll still be able to return to the states in May as I originally intended. So please if you are able please share and donate if you can. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to read this and listening to my story. Thank you -Aminata
Also other platforms you can directly send money to me are:
Venmo: @Aminata-Dolo
CashApp: $aminataYdolo
My name is Aminata and I am currently studying abroad in Senegal. I got hit really quickly with news about COVID-19 as I’m sure we all did during these hard uncertain times. My study abroad with SIT was canceled two months early in response to the virus and advisors recommended that all U.S. students return home, but this was not an option for me. I have been studying abroad this whole school year since September 2019 and was supposed to stay here until May. So, preemptively, all of my financial aid has been sent in advance to my study abroad program since it was covering two quarters.
The major reason I do not feel it’s safe or wise for me to come back to the states at this time is that I reside in Washington state and the virus has hit pretty hard having one the highest death tolls and cases in the United States. I did not want to risk exposing myself to the virus or spreading the disease unknowingly because I would have to stop in Europe for a long layover (some countries have high case/death rates) and then I would have to get on another flight to go to Seattle which is a high-risk city in Washington state to catch the virus. My biggest fear is getting contaminated on my journey back and spreading sickness to other people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19. On top of all that, I do not have a place to stay if I went back to Washington two months early. I would be homeless with nowhere to go because all the money I would've used for housing in the states was used for my study abroad program housing with my host family. On top of that, SIT study abroad in Senegal did not reimburse any students for the time they didn’t spend in the program due to the virus crisis. Staying in Senegal until my original return date is not only cheaper, but safer for me at this time.
My plan was to stay with my host family until I plan to return in May, but then legal issues came to my attention with the SIT study abroad program that gave me LESS THAN 24 hours notice to move out and find a new place to live. In trying to take action in helping myself I withdrew from the program so that I could be a civilian living with my host family who could voluntarily house me since I was no longer part of the program, but sadly that attempt didn’t help me either. SIT still tried to kick me out with barely any notice knowing I had nowhere else to go. My host family was okay with me staying if I could come up with rent money for the next 2 months, but SIT still wanted me out because the homestay family is technically “their property”. My host family was then notified that housing me would mean their contract would be exterminated with SIT indefinitely and that they would not be allowed to host future study abroad students through the SIT program. For SIT, to try to have this much control and say in my living situation and have such persistence is disgusting in the fact that they are threatening other families and their choices as an institutional power are highly problematic in this situation.
I really need help raising funds to pay for my housing and food that will sustain me for the rest of my time here. I am praying that this virus will subside and that there will be a cure and that I’ll still be able to return to the states in May as I originally intended. So please if you are able please share and donate if you can. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to read this and listening to my story. Thank you -Aminata
Also other platforms you can directly send money to me are:
Venmo: @Aminata-Dolo
CashApp: $aminataYdolo
Organizer
Aminata Dolo
Organizer
Bellingham, WA
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