This campaign is for a dear friend of mine, please see her words below:
"As a young girl, my parents would always tell my brother and I the best stories. Dad would tell us stories about his childhood in Syria. He would tell us about how he and his brothers would get into trouble for being mischievous. He would tell us stories about how hard he worked to establish a career to support his family. My mother was forced to marry early, though she was extremely smart and talented and was not lucky enough to go to a university, so she made sure to do everything to educate us and see us prosper with knowledge and independence. No matter what story my parents told, they were always able to bring out an emotion in us. Storytelling became a tradition for me. I was reminded by them that everyone has a story to tell, as long as someone is listening.
Today, I would like to share my story with you, and I hope that it can inspire you the way my father’s stories inspired me.
For as long as I can remember, my dream was to come to the US to expand on my education. I spent my adolescent years working and studying for hours to guarantee that my dream would come true. I am 30 years old, and I am currently pursuing my PhD in Literature and Women & Gender Studies. I am happy to confirm that my dream came true. However, I am ready for my next dream, which is to return back home to Syria. I always considered myself one of the lucky ones out of my friends. I was able to leave Syria to make something more of myself while most of them got married right out of high school, stuck in the same routine as my parent’s generation. I could not help but think I was above it all. How naïve of me. The women of Syria, my friends included, are some of the strongest individuals I know. The women of my hometown have been going through war for years, but they do not complain. Instead, they continue their roles as mothers, wives, and sisters. Their political knowledge is captivating, but their voices are silenced in the background of all the bombs that continue to drop in Syria. It is not only my dream, but also my duty to return home to establish a Women and Gender Studies Department in order to advocate for women’s rights.
I know what you are thinking. What’s stopping me? I wish it were that simple.
In order to advocate for women’s rights in Syria, I need to complete my dissertation. I have dedicated (1 year) on my dissertation, which focuses on Arab women’s writing which offers an alternative reality that preceded the war and Arab revolutions.
Unfortunately, my scholarship was not renewed, my family has lost all of our savings due to the war, and my father has recently passed away and was the main provider for our family. In fact, he passed away simply because he was unable to access necessary medications because of the war. This is something that has greatly affected my mental well-being. Holding international status, I am unable to work off-campus. In Syria, I worked as a Supervisor and Education Consultant. I had a good reputation and was known in my field. I pride myself on my hard work, and my contribution to society. But I am legally unable to obtain a work permit for off-campus positions. I am also unable to apply for a federal loan or other students' loans because I am not a US citizen.
As a result, I managed to obtain small jobs, such as freelancing, translation, and babysitting. I value myself as a hard worker and independent woman; especially as an Arab woman, I have such a great opportunity to pursue my academic dream. It has been rather difficult to manage these part-time jobs along with my academic duties and mental/physical health. I continuously suffer from survivor’s guilt and know that my father, family and close friends have t lived through this devastating war. I know that I owe it to my father to complete my academic year and, in return, help my Syrian brothers and sisters. No matter how many times I want to give up as every day becomes even a greater struggle, I have learned something both as a Syrian and as someone who has lived in the US for a long time, that I can never give up, and I must keep trying.
I have always been hesitant about doing this campaign, but my situation has reached a point where I need your help especially when I saw how such campaigns are helping great projects of students who cannot fulfill their studies without some kind of support. I am not able to graduate unless I pay my tuition fees which is $ 15,000 till Spring 2017: 5000 $ each academic term) and it is all going to my university tuition and fees) till I graduate.
It would make a great difference, a very positive encouraging and rescuing thing to have some support from whoever is capable of that or seeing a fair cause in it. I am doing this for my academic battle. By being an ally of this cause, you would be supporting the students I will teach, the community I will work in, the humanitarian and educational project I will establish one day. In return, I promise to pay it forward to whoever is in need one day, in any supportive and caring form.
I want to retain my insurance, focus on teaching and complete my dissertation. Your support won't only help in fulfilling my academic dream and work but will also help me when this tough mission and journey is done, and I will be able to pursue a teaching job and a humanitarian project. There are a lot of positive and progressive changes that we can all contribute with and give in this world.
And now I want to apologize for not being able to share my real identity. I do still have family in Syria living in a war zone who will be put in danger if my name is revealed. My family can also be potentially kidnapped if someone saw this page and sees whatever money I have.
I am grateful to the opportunity the US has given me through education. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I can only get there through your support. I’m urging all of you to contribute any small amount of money toward my PhD campaign so that I can complete this last stage of higher education. I would like you to share my research with your friends and family members. I rarely would ask for anything but for this year, if you are a friend or a family member and want to give me a gift, the only gift I’m asking is some support or contribution towards this cause. This campaign will only succeeds if it is shared enough.
I am thankful for listening, for reading, and maybe empathizing with me, whether you contribute or not. I wish that you would work for your communities, to defend access to educational funds in the US to anyone who studies here regardless of their religion/color/ race/sexual orientation or field of study; to fight for equality in salaries and rights; to fight for better schooling for all kids in the US; to fight against medical and educational budget cuts; to support welcoming immigrants in the US; to think about Syria, its people, Iraq, its people; and to work for justice wherever it is needed.
Good luck in your dreams, in your daily battles, in your endeavors, in surviving pain, diseases and injustice. Most importantly, thank you for taking the time to listen to my story. I hope I at least brought out an emotion in you as my father and far beloved family and friends would do to me."
"As a young girl, my parents would always tell my brother and I the best stories. Dad would tell us stories about his childhood in Syria. He would tell us about how he and his brothers would get into trouble for being mischievous. He would tell us stories about how hard he worked to establish a career to support his family. My mother was forced to marry early, though she was extremely smart and talented and was not lucky enough to go to a university, so she made sure to do everything to educate us and see us prosper with knowledge and independence. No matter what story my parents told, they were always able to bring out an emotion in us. Storytelling became a tradition for me. I was reminded by them that everyone has a story to tell, as long as someone is listening.
Today, I would like to share my story with you, and I hope that it can inspire you the way my father’s stories inspired me.
For as long as I can remember, my dream was to come to the US to expand on my education. I spent my adolescent years working and studying for hours to guarantee that my dream would come true. I am 30 years old, and I am currently pursuing my PhD in Literature and Women & Gender Studies. I am happy to confirm that my dream came true. However, I am ready for my next dream, which is to return back home to Syria. I always considered myself one of the lucky ones out of my friends. I was able to leave Syria to make something more of myself while most of them got married right out of high school, stuck in the same routine as my parent’s generation. I could not help but think I was above it all. How naïve of me. The women of Syria, my friends included, are some of the strongest individuals I know. The women of my hometown have been going through war for years, but they do not complain. Instead, they continue their roles as mothers, wives, and sisters. Their political knowledge is captivating, but their voices are silenced in the background of all the bombs that continue to drop in Syria. It is not only my dream, but also my duty to return home to establish a Women and Gender Studies Department in order to advocate for women’s rights.
I know what you are thinking. What’s stopping me? I wish it were that simple.
In order to advocate for women’s rights in Syria, I need to complete my dissertation. I have dedicated (1 year) on my dissertation, which focuses on Arab women’s writing which offers an alternative reality that preceded the war and Arab revolutions.
Unfortunately, my scholarship was not renewed, my family has lost all of our savings due to the war, and my father has recently passed away and was the main provider for our family. In fact, he passed away simply because he was unable to access necessary medications because of the war. This is something that has greatly affected my mental well-being. Holding international status, I am unable to work off-campus. In Syria, I worked as a Supervisor and Education Consultant. I had a good reputation and was known in my field. I pride myself on my hard work, and my contribution to society. But I am legally unable to obtain a work permit for off-campus positions. I am also unable to apply for a federal loan or other students' loans because I am not a US citizen.
As a result, I managed to obtain small jobs, such as freelancing, translation, and babysitting. I value myself as a hard worker and independent woman; especially as an Arab woman, I have such a great opportunity to pursue my academic dream. It has been rather difficult to manage these part-time jobs along with my academic duties and mental/physical health. I continuously suffer from survivor’s guilt and know that my father, family and close friends have t lived through this devastating war. I know that I owe it to my father to complete my academic year and, in return, help my Syrian brothers and sisters. No matter how many times I want to give up as every day becomes even a greater struggle, I have learned something both as a Syrian and as someone who has lived in the US for a long time, that I can never give up, and I must keep trying.
I have always been hesitant about doing this campaign, but my situation has reached a point where I need your help especially when I saw how such campaigns are helping great projects of students who cannot fulfill their studies without some kind of support. I am not able to graduate unless I pay my tuition fees which is $ 15,000 till Spring 2017: 5000 $ each academic term) and it is all going to my university tuition and fees) till I graduate.
It would make a great difference, a very positive encouraging and rescuing thing to have some support from whoever is capable of that or seeing a fair cause in it. I am doing this for my academic battle. By being an ally of this cause, you would be supporting the students I will teach, the community I will work in, the humanitarian and educational project I will establish one day. In return, I promise to pay it forward to whoever is in need one day, in any supportive and caring form.
I want to retain my insurance, focus on teaching and complete my dissertation. Your support won't only help in fulfilling my academic dream and work but will also help me when this tough mission and journey is done, and I will be able to pursue a teaching job and a humanitarian project. There are a lot of positive and progressive changes that we can all contribute with and give in this world.
And now I want to apologize for not being able to share my real identity. I do still have family in Syria living in a war zone who will be put in danger if my name is revealed. My family can also be potentially kidnapped if someone saw this page and sees whatever money I have.
I am grateful to the opportunity the US has given me through education. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I can only get there through your support. I’m urging all of you to contribute any small amount of money toward my PhD campaign so that I can complete this last stage of higher education. I would like you to share my research with your friends and family members. I rarely would ask for anything but for this year, if you are a friend or a family member and want to give me a gift, the only gift I’m asking is some support or contribution towards this cause. This campaign will only succeeds if it is shared enough.
I am thankful for listening, for reading, and maybe empathizing with me, whether you contribute or not. I wish that you would work for your communities, to defend access to educational funds in the US to anyone who studies here regardless of their religion/color/ race/sexual orientation or field of study; to fight for equality in salaries and rights; to fight for better schooling for all kids in the US; to fight against medical and educational budget cuts; to support welcoming immigrants in the US; to think about Syria, its people, Iraq, its people; and to work for justice wherever it is needed.
Good luck in your dreams, in your daily battles, in your endeavors, in surviving pain, diseases and injustice. Most importantly, thank you for taking the time to listen to my story. I hope I at least brought out an emotion in you as my father and far beloved family and friends would do to me."