Help Titi mourn her mother in Eritrea
Donation protected
It's my pleasure to introduce Titi to you formally. She is one of the two ladies whom we owe a debt of gratitude for keeping our Ammi Hyde tidy and clean, so we can focus on our study, training, and work.
Titi is from Eritrea, a beautiful African country on the Red Sea coast. She migrated to the US as an adult and is currently living with her husband and her son. During my first year at GSPP, she had kindly befriended me; We share our experiences as immigrant women living in Denver, away from our families in native countries.
One evening, about a month ago, I noticed that she was not coming in for work. I asked Nancy (the other lady) if she was ill, but she didn't know anything. As both of us were concerned, I decided to text Titi to check-in. She responded with unexpected and sad news; Her mother in Eritrea had passed away. To make the situation worse, she could not afford to travel abroad to say goodbye to her. Flight tickets to Eritrea at the cheapest cost around $3000, and she also cannot afford to take the days off from work, she explained.
This is all so close to my heart as I, too, live far away from my aging parents. From what Titi and I shared, I understand that her culture, like mine, greatly value our family and connection to them. I wanted to help Titi, but unfortunately, my resource is minimal as a student. So here I am, wanting to turn to the GSPP community for help. I asked Titi for permission to disclose her story and a photo for this use, and she has graciously agreed.
The funds may be used for travel expenses to Eritrea or other ways that Titi may choose to support her grief process during the holiday season. This may include taking days off from work without worrying too much about financial pressure, instead of traveling to Eritrea. I mention this since the current sociopolitical climate influences visa/Green Card holders like us when making choices for international travels.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and I wish you a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Tomoko Miwa
***
About me:
I'm a 2nd-year PsyD, international student from Japan.
Titi is from Eritrea, a beautiful African country on the Red Sea coast. She migrated to the US as an adult and is currently living with her husband and her son. During my first year at GSPP, she had kindly befriended me; We share our experiences as immigrant women living in Denver, away from our families in native countries.
One evening, about a month ago, I noticed that she was not coming in for work. I asked Nancy (the other lady) if she was ill, but she didn't know anything. As both of us were concerned, I decided to text Titi to check-in. She responded with unexpected and sad news; Her mother in Eritrea had passed away. To make the situation worse, she could not afford to travel abroad to say goodbye to her. Flight tickets to Eritrea at the cheapest cost around $3000, and she also cannot afford to take the days off from work, she explained.
This is all so close to my heart as I, too, live far away from my aging parents. From what Titi and I shared, I understand that her culture, like mine, greatly value our family and connection to them. I wanted to help Titi, but unfortunately, my resource is minimal as a student. So here I am, wanting to turn to the GSPP community for help. I asked Titi for permission to disclose her story and a photo for this use, and she has graciously agreed.
The funds may be used for travel expenses to Eritrea or other ways that Titi may choose to support her grief process during the holiday season. This may include taking days off from work without worrying too much about financial pressure, instead of traveling to Eritrea. I mention this since the current sociopolitical climate influences visa/Green Card holders like us when making choices for international travels.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and I wish you a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Tomoko Miwa
***
About me:
I'm a 2nd-year PsyD, international student from Japan.
Organizer and beneficiary
Tomoko Miwa
Organizer
Denver, CO
Warsay Ghebru
Beneficiary