Hi! My name is Meredith Copp and I’m fundraising to bring my Swazi “niece” Tibusiso Mdluli, age 16, to Cape Breton for a year of high school international student exchange.

Many of you are aware of my passion for volunteering in Eswatini, Africa and the love I have for my Swazi family. You’ve probably seen my posts of fundraising to bring my Swazi “niece” here to Cape Breton for a year of high school exchange.

Yesterday I found out that her STUDENT VISA APPLICATION WAS DENIED.

I can’t stop here. We have come so far!

I need to show the government and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that Tibusiso Mdluli has the support of the whole community, my family and my friends - That IRCC made a mistake and she should be given a temporary visitors visa for a student study permit.

Many of you have been supporting our fundraising efforts and cheering us on from the sidelines. THANK YOU!!! (For an update on those specific fundraising efforts, see bottom of this post.)

Now WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER, in TWO WAYS:

1. I’d like to quickly do this GoFundMe to add to the fundraising efforts, to show the government that we do have the financial capacity to support her while she is here as well as to pay for her transportation to and from Canada and for her medical insurance. (Thank you for supporting all of the fundraising up to this point as well!)

** 2. I’d also like to compile a group of LETTERS OF SUPPORT to show that we are all welcoming her and excited for her to join our community. She will be part of our community family here!

I will present the letters of support, as a group, to anyone who will look at them - Immigration/ IRCC (I will include them in the next application if/when we submit a new application), the MP’s office, and possibly others. I’m going to try to set up a meeting with Jaime Battiste, or his office this week.

This experience will open up so much learning and opportunity for Tibu, as it does for exchange students from anywhere in the world. It will be an amazing learning experience for her, as well as for the local students and community to get to know a vibrant young woman from a different culture.

Here is the information you may need for your letter:

* Student: Tibusiso Mdluli, age 16

* From Eswatini, Africa

* Will be attending Cabot Education Centre

* We are hoping for her to come from September 2025 to June 2026

* I first went to Africa in 2007 for my volunteer field placement for my social work degree at Dal. That’s when I first met my host family and they became my family. I return every 2 years or so when possible, so I have watched Tibu and her younger brother grow up. I’m their Canadian “auntie.”

Please send your letter of support to:

Me (Meredith Copp) at: [email redacted]

Honourable Jaime Battiste, MP, for Cape Breton - Canso - Antigonish, at:

[email redacted].ca

Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, at:

[email redacted].ca

Here’s a little more information:

In her letter of refusal, they give 5 reasons she has been refused. All of which are frustrating for us because they do not have merit. I’ll attach the letter to this post so you can read it. But, here are the reasons they gave:

1. They are not satisfied that she will leave the country at the end of her studies. - But we are law abiding people, she will leave to return to her loving family and return to her high school education in Eswatini. I will ensure that, and our whole community will be witness to it. (How do we prove that? Maybe with letters of support.)

2. They are not satisfied she has the financial capability of paying the tuition - But I have already paid her tuition and have provided the receipts.

3. They are not satisfied that she has the financial capability to pay to maintain herself. - But I submitted bank account documentation showing I have the financial means to pay for her (with over $20,635, the required minimum for one person) and will be financially supporting her while she is here.

4. They aren’t satisfied she has the financial capability to purchase transportation to and from Canada. - But I have the money in an account as mentioned in #3.

5. They say the purpose of her visit to Canada is not consistent with a temporary stay. - But she has applied and been accepted as a walk in student with the Cape Breton - Victoria Regional Centre for Education who wrote an acceptance letter stating she would be here for the school year.

This is more than frustrating; as has been the whole application process. For a federal government who prides itself in making Canada the multicultural home that it is, there is something clearly wrong with this outcome.

I hoped she would be on a plane next week, and instead we will be standing up to do whatever it takes to make this happen.

Please show your support for (me and) this wonderful, vibrant student. Let’s show her that perseverance and determination matter, and DREAMS CAN COME TRUE!

I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is so important to me and your support means the world!

*PS - if you want to donate through go fund me, you can change the tip option to $0. You can also send donations directly to my fundraising email (I can’t put it here, but reach out to me if you want it), if you don’t want to use the platform and I will add it here as an offline donation.

Update on previous fundraising efforts:

The amount raised to date with “Tibu’s draws” is $14,197. 75; and sponsorships are $5835; for a total of $20,381.43 with the interest. We have paid $10,000 for her tuition for school, along with over $1000 for visa application process to date. I have also committed to pay her living expenses while she is in Canada. The government deems it necessary to have a minimum of $20,685 (going up to $22, 895 in September 2025) to maintain living standards for the year, in addition to tuition and transportation to and from the country.

Thank you so very much!

With love always,

Meredith