Assist Amos Okot to begin his M.Sc. degree in Uganda

Hi, my name is Dean Slonowsky and I am fundraising for my good friend, Amos Okot (by the way, this is NOT the Ugandan politician with same name, just FYI, lol).

Amos is planning on completing a Master of Science degree in molecular biology at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Unfortunately, Amos still has outstanding tuition fees from his Bachelor of Science degree that he recently completed in Mbarara University in Uganda.

Makerere University -- the premier post-secondary institution in Uganda -- has offered Amos a conditional place in the M.Sc. program, pending a certified transcript from Mbarara University . However, to obtain this transcript, Mbarara requires a letter from his loan officer and the said loan officer needs Amos to clear at least 50% of his tuition loan before they will provide this letter.

The said "50% of outstanding tuition" is equal to 2.7 million Ugandan shillings (corresponds to approximately $1,000 Canadian dollars, or $725 US dollars).

I have set the current fundraising goal at $2,000 Canadian dollars so as to cover all (100%) of Amos's outstanding tuition fees from his B.Sc. degree at Mbarara University. However, Amos may also choose to apply the excess $1,000 to his tuition fees for his M.Sc. degree at Makerere University. That will be his choice.

And in case you are wondering why am I leading this fundraising effort on Amos's behalf:

I have known Amos very well for over 17 years, ever since I visited him and his family at their home in the town of Kitgum in northern Uganda in the summer of 2007. At that time, Amos was just about to begin the Laboratory Technician Diploma program in the town of Jinja in southern Uganda. I was fortunate to travel back to Uganda the following summer and visit Amos and meet some of his fellow students at the college in Jinja. We have been great friends ever since and have shared in each other's successes and sorrows over the years. He is as much a nephew / younger brother to me as he is a close friend.

However, I am not just promoting this fundraising because Amos is a close friend. I also strongly believe that, equipped with a graduate-level degree, Amos will make a significant impact in the field of public health which will effect a positive change in his community, in Uganda, and even beyond. He has always done well in his studies (diploma and subsequent bachelor's degree) and has been very active and innovative in the field of public health, both through his employment and in his individual research and outreach ventures.

Amos also has a strong desire to lecture and research in a university setting, necessitating his completion of a master's degree. I can only imagine the positive effect that someone like Amos would have on his students, should he pursue such a route after gradating with his M.Sc. degree!

I hope you are able to assist Amos in achieving these goals! Please let me know if you have any question for Amos regarding his program, and I would be happy to pass those along (or can pass along his email address if you prefer).

Thank you!

[Note: This is my first time using GoFundMe so has been a bit of a learning curve. GoFundMe did not have Uganda as an option for location of recipient of funds. Instead, I will collect and forward the funds to Amos via Western Union (a good option, based on my experience). Again, the most urgent goal is raising the "first $1,000" so that Mbarara will release the transcripts to Makerere in time for Amos to begin his M.Sc. this fall (2024). But I do hope that enough is raised to pay all of Amos outstanding tuition from Mbarara and also cover at least part of his tuition this fall at Makerere.]