Help a Trailblazer: Fund Mashike’s Education and Future

Being the first to do anything is the most challenging endeavor anyone can undertake. It is scary, has a lot of unknowns, and frankly can be overwhelming. This is the case in my life. I am the first in my family to graduate with a bachelor's degree, and hope, with your help to be the first to graduate with a master's degree.

My name is Mashike. I am from Zambia and I have loving parents and two sisters. Zambia is a lovely place but also home to 1.7 million child brides. My parents knew that raising girls in this environment would be hard. As such, they worked tirelessly to educate my sisters and me so that we could have a chance to sustain ourselves in the future when they couldn't. I worked extremely hard to get good grades and participate in extracurricular programs. One program that was a particular passion for me was the Girls Leadership Club, which sought to support girls coming from broken homes.

After high school, I volunteered as a missionary for 18 months in Scotland and Ireland. It was there that a couple saw my potential and decided to sponsor my undergraduate degree. The above picture is me on graduation day! I am forever grateful to them.

Now I am pursuing my International MBA at Thunderbird School of Global Management, which has been amazing! I have had many great experiences over the last year and a half, such as writing a business case with my professor which is to be published this year, becoming the Vice President of the first-ever Case Writing Club aimed to bring students and professors together to write business cases, and participating in many local events like the Phoenix Global Forum. Despite these wonderful opportunities, I have not been so fortunate in funding my degree.

The couple that sponsored my undergraduate degree are not able to do so anymore. My parents aren’t in a position to help, and despite getting a scholarship it is not enough to cover the entirety of tuition. As an international student, My F1 Visa only permits me to work on campus for 20 hours a week for $15 an hour; which is barely enough to live on. I am unable to get additional loans because of high interest rates and insufficient funds to service those loans monthly. With your donation, I will be able to cover all tuition expenses needed to complete my MBA.

Why should you support my future?

Firstly, I want to set an example for every Zambian girl, especially my sisters, that their dreams are possible. Secondly, I want to be self-reliant and take care of my parents. Thirdly, I want to give back to the Zambian community by helping women with businesses grow and compete internationally. Your donation of any amount to my dream will be greatly appreciated. If you cannot donate, please share.

Thank you!

Mashike E. Lumbama