Help Osman continue his dream!

In the People's Republic of China, a foreign student from Djibouti is trying to complete his Computer Science degree at Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications. Originally from Somalia, Osman Abdoulsalam and his family fled the violent warfare in their homeland and escaped to Djibouti as refugees. He now has a rare chance at Chongqing, substantiated by a partial scholarship, but this is far from enough to sustain his basic expenses. We have a chance to help his unlikely story have the ending he deserves, by donating to this cause. In doing this, we are helping the future of the Somali people. To understand how this is, and what makes Osman an important person for us to help today, please read on.

 

 

Who he is, and why that is important :

 

In the process of helping him write his college essay, I learned about his background and ambitions. His early childhood began in Somalia. By age 9, eruptions of warfare in his village caused him and his family to escape as refugees to Djibouti. (It astounds me to think that I met him only six years later.) He gradually overcame the traumatic interruptions to his earlier development, as he persevered through the rest of his formative years in Djibouti, with courage and dedication.

 

 

From a young age, his dreams were of ending wars and fighting corruption. By his late teens, I was witnessing him develop an astute understanding of the many forms and subtleties of [a subject as vast and complex as] corruption. Just like his character through his mannerisms, his pursuit for success is valiant and unwavering.

 

Osman’s overall ambition is to eventually return to Somalia and use his skills to improve the lives of the people in his mother country — one of the most noble aspirations a person can nurture. As the rest of the world fights various forms of oppression in different countries across the globe, it is easy to forget those still suffering in Somalia. We must help them at pivotal moments like this, through helping individuals like him.

How we met, and what we accomplished:
 
About five years ago by now, I had met a high school student on a super-learners facebook page, who asked me, “Can you recommend any books for learning English grammar?” The standard response to this is usually to suggest books by [William Strunk and E. B. White], but after further discussion, realizing I was speaking to a French speaking 17 year old in Djibouti who ultimately wanted to write his college essays in English, I decided to try to assist him more directly.
 
We spent the following three months, writing and revising drafts of his first college essay, until it was ready for submission. I knew he was a sharp mind from the moment we started communicating so I was pleased yet not surprised to watch his grasp on English grammar strengthened before my eyes. What truly impressed me was his dedication and follow-through, as well as his respectfulness and compassion.
 

 

Where he is now, and why he needs our help:

 

Today he is working on completing the remaining 2 years of a 4 year Computer Science degree he is earning at Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications in Chongqing, China. 

After working with Osman, he was given an opportunity in China with a partial scholarship. With this financial aid and the assistance from his parents combined, Osman is now left with the task of completing his degree with the limited money he has left. Unfortunately, the Chinese State does not allow foreign students to work even part-time, to earn a small income while studying.

 

Having combed through the details of his financial condition together, we have arrived at the amount that he will need in order to live comfortably while directing his attention to his academic courses without feeling hungry or cold.

 

 

Despite the hardships he is bravely weathering within the constraints of his limited resources, Osman is continuing to succeed above and beyond the minimum requirements of his complex degree. In the last two years, he not only fulfilled his academic goals, he has also been elected by his graduating class to be their Class President. Additionally, he was also recently appointed by his university, to head and manage their African Community Club.

 

 

Who I am, and why I am doing this:

 

While being one of many examples of people I tried to help in the digital space, Osman may be my most successful example. This is of course, partly due to his character, and partly due to my own. He was lucky to be speaking to me that fateful moment years ago, when he decided to ask me for guidance on learning English grammar: I’m no stranger to meeting people, learning about what they need, and figuring out if I might be able to help them.

 

I have helped countless people with a wide variety of things, including (but not limited to) school assignments; resume upgrades and job searches; strategic information distributions in political campaigns; and fiscal decision making for cost minimization in the process of starting small businesses. I am an artist as well as an engineer. My academic training is in Neuroscience and Operations Research. In my spare time, I meet people, try to understand their needs, and work with them to engineer solutions in customized ways that best fit their situation.