<div><strong>Update October 2025 (3500€ raised)</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Suzan has now begun her flight training program in Kenya! We’re deeply grateful to everyone who’s contributed so far. Your support has made this milestone possible — and there’s still more to do to ensure she can complete her lessons and achieve her dream of becoming a pilot.
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/93606579_1762796010821756_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Hello,
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We are Maren, Giselle, Tharien and Amelie, hoping to raise 11440€ (US$13350) for Suzan, <strong>one of the bravest girls in the world who is determined to become a commercial pilot</strong>. Suzan risked her life and ran away from home at the age of 11 to escape from female genital mutilation. With the help of sponsors she finished school and now, with your support, she hopes to <strong>start her pilot’s training</strong> so she can take the first step toward a brighter future.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If you ever thought that one person can’t make a difference—<strong>this is your chance!</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Meet Suzan:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We want you to hear from Suzan herself, in her own words, about her journey so far, her passion for aviation, and how she hopes to change the world for other girls.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Dear supporters,
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My name is Suzan John, I am a young twenty-year old girl from Nyichoka, a small village in Tanzania. I was just 11 years old when my father wanted to force me to go through Female Genital Mutilation, a harmful tradition deeply rooted in my community. Every girl in my village has to go through it. My father was planning to marry me off a short while later, but luckily, a team from <a href="https://hopeforgirlsandwomen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hope for girls and women in Tanzania</a> had come to our village and educated us about the terrible life-long physical and emotional harm that result after mutilation. And so, at the age of just 11, I made the most difficult decision of my life; I decided to run away from home, leaving my family and everything I knew behind. I walked for days and nights with no food, no safe place to rest, and wild animals roaming freely. Every step was filled with fear and uncertainty, but I kept going because I wanted more than survival, I wanted freedom. Finally, I reached the Safe House run by Hope for girls and Women in Tanzania. The centre became my haven—a place where hope was restored and dreams began to grow.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Before coming to the centre, I had never been to school. Education was a distant hope, almost unimaginable for a girl in my situation. But the people at the centre saw my potential and gave me a chance to learn. With the help of Canadian sponsors I started school, with no knowledge but with a heart full of determination. Every day I studied hard, guided by the dream of changing my life and proving that my past would not dictate my future. As I progressed in school, a new and powerful dream took shape inside me. I dreamt of becoming a professional pilot flying across the continents and connecting people from all walks of life. The spark for this dream came during a school visit to an airport. Watching pilots preparing for take-off, hearing the engine roar and seeing the teamwork and precision behind every flight made my heart race with excitement and passion. I remember the first time, thanks to a sponsor, that I went on a discovery flight to see if I would like flying. Sitting in the cockpit, feeling the controls under my hands and looking out over the clouds was unlike anything I had ever experienced. In that moment I knew that this is my path, this is my destiny and my way to change the world. I want to fly not only for myself but also as a symbol to other girls that their dreams can take flight, no matter the obstacles. I want to inspire young girls, especially those trapped by harmful traditions like female genital mutilation and child marriage, and show them that they too can break free and write their own story. I want to show that no matter where you come from or what you have been through, you can soar and achieve your dreams.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Unfortunately, pilot training is very expensive. The tuition, equipment and flight hours required are far beyond my financial means. I am so inspired by the kindness and belief shown to me by strangers so far; their faith in me fuels my own belief that I can reach the skies and beyond. That is why am reaching out now, with humility and courage, asking for your help to make my dream become a reality. Any contribution - big or small - will bring me closer to the cockpit and to my goals of giving back to my community. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for considering helping me to reach the skies!
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Suzan John
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>HOW THE MONEY WILL BE USED:</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The training at the <a href="https://flitestaracademy.co.ke/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flitestar Academy</a>,<strong> an established and accredited flight school in Nairobi, Kenya</strong> takes four to six months and includes 40 to 60 flight lessons. All donations will be collected by us and sent directly to the flight academy to cover <strong>Suzan’s training costs</strong>. We will transfer the funds in instalments as required by the academy, ensuring every contribution goes straight toward her education.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The <strong>cost for the 4-6 months program in Kenya</strong>:
</div>
<div>Registration cost <strong>32€</strong>
</div>
<div>Starter pack + school uniform<strong> 898€</strong>
</div>
<div>Ground school <strong>1085€</strong>
</div>
<div>Insurance <strong>25€</strong>
</div>
<div>Flight lessons <strong>9400€</strong> for 50 lessons (188€ per lesson)
</div>
<div>TOTAL: <strong>11440€ </strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Next intake date is the 29th of September 2025</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Background on Female Genital Mutilation</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is arguably the most egregious human rights violation perpetrated against girls and women in the world today. It is also child abuse, sexual violence, and torture, according to UN organizations. An estimated <a href="https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/over-230-million-girls-and-women-alive-today-have-been-subjected-female-genital" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">230 million girls and women</a> alive in the world today have been subjected to FGM/C. Every 11 seconds another girl somewhere goes through FGM/C. <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/female-genital-mutilation-a-leading-cause-of-death-for-girls-across-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Recent research</a> indicates that a girl dies every 12 minutes from complications of FGM/C. Girls and women who survive this human rights violation suffer life-long physical and emotional trauma including fistula, increased child and maternal mortality, difficulty urinating and menstruating, and post-traumatic stress. FGM/C is primarily a tool of sexual control; it is not mandated by religion and happens in more than <a href="https://equalitynow.org/news/press-releases/new-report-finds-female-genital-mutilation-cutting-in-94-countries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">90 countries in the world</a> and on every continent except Antarctica. Now a global movement of women and men is fighting to end FGM/C once and for all. For more information check: endfgm.ca; endfgm.eu; orchidproject.org
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/93606579_1756799035631987_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>

Rosine Gerhard

Tharien van Eck

Heather Davis

Kim Slattery

Sallie Chaballier

Catharina Hechter

Brenda Ouimet

Anonymous

Sibylle Pestalozzi

Carmen Schaffner

Evelin Bauer

Rochelle Moller

Sam John

Cindy Avery

Stephen McCoach

Darby Honeyman

catharina hechter

Chris Browne

Ann Alafriz Hunter

Help brave Suzan become a pilot and change the world!

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

Influencer - Prod

US fundraisers and US users

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Help brave Suzan become a pilot and change the world!

Still €6,371 to go. Help us build momentum.