Help Safiya Overcome Health and Financial Hurdles

I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf of my friend Safiya Rebhi. Safiya is an international student from Tunisia studying in the Master’s of Arts in Religion program at Union Theological Seminary. She first came to the US in 2022 to study in the University of Hartford’s Master’s of Arts in International Peacebuilding Program with a dream of teaching. In November 2024, Safiya started having chronic, debilitating pain and other symptoms that have defied a diagnosis by multiple specialists. During her illness, she has not been able to make enough money to pay the inordinately high bills that international students face. As an international student at Union Theological Seminary, she cannot receive health insurance through a state plan but is required to pay out-of-pocket for two years of student healthcare through Columbia University’s health insurance. The cost each year for the health insurance plan is over $6,000, totaling over $12,000 for two full years of coverage. You can find the table for yearly rates if you scroll down at the following link --> https://utsnyc.edu/life/student-affairs/health/insurance/.

She needs help affording the required student health insurance plan for 2025-2026 as well as her summer housing and living expenses.

Safiya is part of the WIRP community (Women’s Interfaith Residency Program) and has contributed to making the community a warm and welcoming environment of shared fellowship. Even in the midst of her own illness, she is generous and kind, always checking in and thinking of others. It has been difficult to see Safiya struggling so much because of this debilitating illness – the financial support will help her to get back on her feet as she continues to adjust to living with chronic illness and continuing her studies.

Thank you so much for reading and donating!