Help Peace Reach Independence

Hi, my name is Ajshe, and I'm raising funds for my dear friend Peace. Here is a piece of writing from Peace explaining why we are asking for your help:

"I’ve been going back and forth on how to write this. My whole life I have been taught to be self sufficient and on my own but it is clear that I need help now.

Hi, my name is Peace. I was born in Kenya, but moved around a lot growing up because of my dad’s work. Eventually my family moved to the US, and I have spent most of my life here in America trying to create a home. I went to middle school, high school and graduated college in America. Me and my family’s dream was to be able to make a life for ourselves here, and we have all worked hard to try to support each other throughout the years. But our time here has presented many hurdles for all of us. Personally, due to my issues with my immigration status I have been unable to access many basic resources, including financial support or steady employment.

When I graduated from college two years ago, like many of my peers I was so excited to find independence and start the journey to self sufficiency. For an entire year, I spent hours upon hours applying to jobs all over the world. I oriented my life around applying to jobs, landing interviews, networking. But in the end immigration paperwork got in the way of every opportunity. I was exhausted, but I didn't give up. I both want and need to be independent and to offer support to my family who has struggled to support me and themselves as they struggle too with job prospects.

I realized I'd have to be creative and put myself deeply out of my comfort zone. I applied to a Masters program in Disability Studies at a school in Europe. I recently learned I was accepted under a full tuition scholarship.

This is an opportunity for a fresh start away from my issues in this country—to have a fair chance of being able to materially move forward with my life. But it comes with obstacles. The scholarship does not cover food, housing, transportation, legal fees, or other living and student expenses. I aim to get a job as soon as possible, but as a foreign student who doesn’t speak the country’s language this may not be an easy or fast process. Any contributions will help me to finally take the first step in a lifelong journey to finding independence and leaving a country that has left me walking on a tightrope for the majority of my life.

Below I will list the specific expenses I am asking for help with: Updated prices reflect estimates after getting a clearer image on pricing in the country: