Help Sips design for Mental Health
Donation protected
A bit about Me:
My name is Siphilele Magagula. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, or any spoon for that matter, I am from Swaziland, we eat with our hands (:P). My parents however tricked me into believing that there was nothing I couldn’t do, regardless of my address. Their hard work and mine have seen me accomplishing a lot, from graduating with honors in my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design, to working with Cirque du Soleil, to helping the company I worked for in New York receive three international design awards. All seemingly impossible for a Swazi girl born and raised in a small township. I could not have accomplished any of this had people not taken a chance on me. Here I am trying to defeat the odds once again, asking you to help me enroll in the Transdisciplinary Design Masters Program at Parsons School of Design in New York City, which I have been accepted to.
My research:
Many of us are living with mental health issues or know someone close to us that is suffering yet, we do not talk about it. We hide. We pretend. Making it harder to cope and act ‘normal’. We do not seek help, or, we do not know where to seek help. Society and the way in which our cities are designed does not make it any easier to maneuver through life as a person dealing with mental health problems. My hope is to address this. I want to help design our cities to better cater to individuals affected with mental health issues. And through the Transdisciplinary Design Masters Program at Parsons Design School, I have the unique opportunity to do so. Social design has always been my passion, as is seen in my concept for an Empathy Museum: Empathy
More details:
I have been awarded the Dean’s Merit Scholarship which covers 20% of my tuition. I have accepted and paid a deposit. However, in order to enroll and process my visa I need to show that I can afford to attend. Which right now, I cannot. Tuition is $25,000 a year and this is a two year program. Parsons has offered to review my scholarship percentage if I can show financial commitment. I have applied for various scholarships and am hoping that collectively our efforts will allow me to get a step closer to enrolling in this program.
Should I get rewarded these scholarships, the money raised will help towards the following goals:
-$ 2,500: Would cover books & supplies for the first year
-$ 5,000: Would cover books, supplies & health insurance for the first year
-$ 7,500: Would cover books, supplies, health insurance for first year and accomodation for 1 semester
-$10,000: Would cover books, supplies, health insurance for first year and accomodation for 2 semesters
As we say, “it takes a village to raise a child”, I am pleading with you internet village to help raise this child, so she too can raise others in the work she will be doing. I appreciate you all for your time and contributions.
My name is Siphilele Magagula. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, or any spoon for that matter, I am from Swaziland, we eat with our hands (:P). My parents however tricked me into believing that there was nothing I couldn’t do, regardless of my address. Their hard work and mine have seen me accomplishing a lot, from graduating with honors in my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design, to working with Cirque du Soleil, to helping the company I worked for in New York receive three international design awards. All seemingly impossible for a Swazi girl born and raised in a small township. I could not have accomplished any of this had people not taken a chance on me. Here I am trying to defeat the odds once again, asking you to help me enroll in the Transdisciplinary Design Masters Program at Parsons School of Design in New York City, which I have been accepted to.
My research:
Many of us are living with mental health issues or know someone close to us that is suffering yet, we do not talk about it. We hide. We pretend. Making it harder to cope and act ‘normal’. We do not seek help, or, we do not know where to seek help. Society and the way in which our cities are designed does not make it any easier to maneuver through life as a person dealing with mental health problems. My hope is to address this. I want to help design our cities to better cater to individuals affected with mental health issues. And through the Transdisciplinary Design Masters Program at Parsons Design School, I have the unique opportunity to do so. Social design has always been my passion, as is seen in my concept for an Empathy Museum: Empathy
More details:
I have been awarded the Dean’s Merit Scholarship which covers 20% of my tuition. I have accepted and paid a deposit. However, in order to enroll and process my visa I need to show that I can afford to attend. Which right now, I cannot. Tuition is $25,000 a year and this is a two year program. Parsons has offered to review my scholarship percentage if I can show financial commitment. I have applied for various scholarships and am hoping that collectively our efforts will allow me to get a step closer to enrolling in this program.
Should I get rewarded these scholarships, the money raised will help towards the following goals:
-$ 2,500: Would cover books & supplies for the first year
-$ 5,000: Would cover books, supplies & health insurance for the first year
-$ 7,500: Would cover books, supplies, health insurance for first year and accomodation for 1 semester
-$10,000: Would cover books, supplies, health insurance for first year and accomodation for 2 semesters
As we say, “it takes a village to raise a child”, I am pleading with you internet village to help raise this child, so she too can raise others in the work she will be doing. I appreciate you all for your time and contributions.
Organizer and beneficiary
Sips Nxumalo-Magagula
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
Gal Or
Beneficiary
