Hi! My name is Raian. I am 26 years old, and I grew up and graduated from high school in Uganda. I have an older brother, and a patchwork family which means that my childhood was at times complicated, and my future often felt uncertain.

My journey towards starting university has been a bit rocky - and that's an understatement - mostly because it's been difficult to fund my studies by myself. I've always been passionate about all sports (e.g. football, volleyball, track and field, etc.), but I am most passionate about motocross, and I even won second place in the Federation of Motorsports (FIM) championship in Uganda when I was 16!

My initial plan after graduation was to become a pilot with Emirates Airlines, for which I had a scholarship, but it ended up not working out because of my parents’ financial constraints... So there were big dreams and aspirations, and all of them mostly stemmed from my fascination for cars, bikes, and everything to do with engineering. Since then, I have been working in different industries (e.g. as a waiter or as a student housing receptionist), and doing photography (https://www.instagram.com/raian.k.konstantinidis/?locale=gb) which I learnt to do all on my own and from videos online. Photography and the hospitality industry have been really nice, but I want to do more, and I don't want to give up on my dream...

So I am reaching out to you, because I hope that you can help turn my dream into a reality: to join the International Business bachelor's degree program at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences or Sport Studies at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. At the end of my studies I would like to contribute to the future of sustainable agriculture and agribusiness, focusing on food security, eco-friendly farming practices, and innovative supply chain solutions for more resilient, efficient, and ethical food systems; or build opportunities for athletes coming from one of the most underrepresented parts of the globe. I hope to also help students like me, who are struggling to make such a daunting step and who feel like there is no one else they can lean on for support.

Your contribution to my education will help me in more ways than I could express here... but I will remain forever grateful for the opportunity you would be creating for me. Once accepted into the bachelor's programme, all the funds would go into paying my tuition fees, housing, study materials, living expenses, and helping me stay afloat until I find a student job which could help me further.

I'm a hard-working and motivated person, but this is a gap which I unfortunately cannot cover alone... it has taken me a lot of courage to open up and ask this community of supportive people for help like this, and if you have reached this far, then I hope it means that you can help me begin my journey to a life with better opportunities. All donations, big and small, will help me focus on my studies, and achieve financial freedom and relief.

Thank you for reading my story, and thank you for believing in students like me. I am truly grateful for you, your kindness, your love, and our shared vision.