Help Imasha pay for Final Year of Her Degree

Hi there,

My name is Imasha Costa, and I am an international student here in Cork, Ireland. I am currently attempting to finish off my undergraduate degree, I am in my final year and I am at the moment in fear of a possible deportation if I am not able to pay off my tuition fee for my final year.

I am currently studying English and French, and for the past 2 years, my mother, a fantastic South Asian woman who decided to give me a choice to go to university and receive an education struggled to give me that choice and future. This year, I have been left in a position where I have to be able to look after myself and do this by myself as I am not the only one in my family that also deserves to receive an education.

My residence permit expired on the 30th of September, and I have a grace period of 90 days to figure this all out. I am reaching out for help. I am asking to help me finish my degree, to walk on the stage and receive my diploma.

In my culture, women are not often given this choice, and I feel very lucky, I know I am very lucky.

For those who do not know much about what I do on campus, I am the Editor-in-Chief for the University Express. I work alongside an amazing team that have made me grateful for being able to put the paper together. We went into print after a long 18 months there on the 14th of September. Journalism has always been my dream, to be able to write the stories of those that are unable to has always made me want to pursue this career even more.

I am also the Consent Officer for UCC Feminist Society, where we do such amazing work. As the Consent Officer, our major campaign on campus is advocating for Consent training for all students, and campaigning against sexual harassment and violence on campus. I work alongside brilliant people that have shaped my feminism and allowed me to become more intersectional.

Coming into this role, I really would see myself trying to bring Consent into South Asian countries eventually, I know this is something that I really want to do. The lack of sex education in South Asia terrifies me, and it needs to be fixed.

However, its not just about the things that I do, but it is also about how much of a privilege it is for me to even receive higher education. I am the first in my family to go into university instead of marriage. I have been given a choice, and I want to continue to fight to get this choice given to me for the rest of my life.