Help to get an education and better life abroad
Donation protected
Hey! I'm Benji. I'm an autistic, queer artist and photographer from the UK with a love of animals and foreign languages. I have set up this fundraiser in the hopes that I can realise my dream of one day going to school and living a better life abroad.
I've suffered with mental illness for most of my life, due to my late autism diagnosis. Most children are diagnosed and receive the necessary help around the age of 3 or 4, but I was diagnosed at 16, which meant I did not get the right support for my crucial childhood years. This particularly impacted me while I was attending high school. I managed to get my GCSE's but I was unable to complete my further education as I was in the midst of a complete mental breakdown which lasted for several years. I fell into a deep depression and at some darker points attempted suicide. After many hours of therapy and several different medications I managed to return to college a few years down the line but had to drop out due to the cost - since I was now an adult my education was no longer free. I would dearly love to finish my education, but due to my mental health I am only able to work part time, which just about pays the bills. I simply cannot afford to return to college or go to university.
It has been my dream since I was a toddler to one day move to Europe. I am from a very small town in Wales with absolutely no career prospects or opportunities for me, and Europe has always been a solace, an escape, and a beacon of hope. I've spent countless hours dreaming of the happy life I could be living there, rather than simply surviving here on this island with a government that, as a disabled LGBT person, does not see me as an equal. I'm scared to be gay under a conservative government, and I do not feel safe in this country while they are in power. Living and working in a small town I inevitably experience the "small town mindset" and have been called the f slur on numerous occasions while working or simply walking down the street.
I'm hoping this fundraiser will act as a kickstarter to help give me that extra push to finally get me across the sea and to start my new life where I am truly happy and where I know I belong. Once I am there, I can once again pursue my education and build a meaningful career to allow me to live a happier life.
I am thankful that you have taken the time to read my story. Any help, whether it be £1 or £10, would be greatly appreciated, and you have my sincerest gratitude. No matter how much, you are helping me to realise my dream, and every penny is another step forward. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I've suffered with mental illness for most of my life, due to my late autism diagnosis. Most children are diagnosed and receive the necessary help around the age of 3 or 4, but I was diagnosed at 16, which meant I did not get the right support for my crucial childhood years. This particularly impacted me while I was attending high school. I managed to get my GCSE's but I was unable to complete my further education as I was in the midst of a complete mental breakdown which lasted for several years. I fell into a deep depression and at some darker points attempted suicide. After many hours of therapy and several different medications I managed to return to college a few years down the line but had to drop out due to the cost - since I was now an adult my education was no longer free. I would dearly love to finish my education, but due to my mental health I am only able to work part time, which just about pays the bills. I simply cannot afford to return to college or go to university.
It has been my dream since I was a toddler to one day move to Europe. I am from a very small town in Wales with absolutely no career prospects or opportunities for me, and Europe has always been a solace, an escape, and a beacon of hope. I've spent countless hours dreaming of the happy life I could be living there, rather than simply surviving here on this island with a government that, as a disabled LGBT person, does not see me as an equal. I'm scared to be gay under a conservative government, and I do not feel safe in this country while they are in power. Living and working in a small town I inevitably experience the "small town mindset" and have been called the f slur on numerous occasions while working or simply walking down the street.
I'm hoping this fundraiser will act as a kickstarter to help give me that extra push to finally get me across the sea and to start my new life where I am truly happy and where I know I belong. Once I am there, I can once again pursue my education and build a meaningful career to allow me to live a happier life.
I am thankful that you have taken the time to read my story. Any help, whether it be £1 or £10, would be greatly appreciated, and you have my sincerest gratitude. No matter how much, you are helping me to realise my dream, and every penny is another step forward. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Organizer
Benjamin Francis
Organizer
Wales
