Help Me Get My Human Rights Bachelors Degree

UPDATE:

I wanted to thank all of you for your generous support! The GoFundMe campaign raised $2075 with 27 donors. This helped cover most of the cost of the $2500 plane ticket to the Philippines to study human trafficking. I am still seeking $425 to support the airfare for this month-long trip that begins soon. I will be traveling within the Philippines and studying from July 19 through August 20! I will share info on this important trip that you are helping to support.

As I mentioned, much of the rest of my education has been covered through grants and scholarships, yet many funding sources do not cover international travel, even though it is part of my education, and provides me with six credits towards the bachelor's degree.

I promised below to update you about the trip itself, but I also want to keep you informed about my studies. I work full-time at a nonprofit organization in Alexandria, VA called Computer CORE. We serve a very international population of adult learners, primarily women. CORE is allowing me time for my studies and is covering some of my registration and book fees. To enroll in GMU's BIS program as an adult, I worked with World Education Services (WES) to have previous credits certified to enter GMU as a junior in Fall 2023. I am happy to report that I completed my junior year with all A's!

The overall goal of this campaign is to cover the full summer tuition of $5,300. I have been very fortunate to receive some of the tuition through GMU's financial aid and the support of the Ikram Foundation. Any additional funds raised will help me to finish the bachelor's degree by May 2024 and go towards a Master's degree (surprise!) in Conflict Resolution in the Middle East. I have applied for GMU's Bachelor's Accelerated Master's (BAM) program and expect to earn the Master's in May 2025.

Thank you for continuing to help me so I can help others by contributing to my studies to stop human trafficking.

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I am a single woman. I became a widow suddenly on December 29, 2020. I lost my husband of thirty years from COVID after he was fighting colon cancer. I joined George Mason University and was accepted as a junior, pursuing a bachelor's degree in women and human rights. I am planning to travel to the Philippines this Summer through the GMU study abroad program. While all the rest of my education has been covered through grants and scholarships, many funding sources do not cover international travel, even though it is part of my education, and provides me with six credits towards my bachelor's degree.

This trip is so important to me! And without your help, I will not be able to accomplish my goal to go and learn more about human trafficking in the Philippines. Going on this trip is not solely for personal reasons but on behalf of hundreds of thousands of victims and survivors of human trafficking and I want to become an advocate against human trafficking, particularly labor and sex trafficking.

I am embarking on this trip to learn more about their stories of struggles, and challenges, as well as their dreams and aspirations, including their resilience since I will be meeting many of them in person. I am inviting you to invite your friends, colleagues, and others on social media to support my travel as PARTNERS in making the world a little better. I will be updating all my supporters/donors about my travel while in the Philippines - posting and share my learning experiences with them. Even when I return to the US, I will continue to update and keep in touch with them. People who will support me in GoFundMe will become part of my network. I need to nurture the relationship so that in my future undertakings, YOU will continue to be there for me, supporting me in various ways possible. In other words, I am not just simply asking for "help" rather I am inviting YOU to be partners in my personal-academic-professional undertaking.

Thank you for checking out my Go Fund Me page. I need your help. The children and young adults of the Philippines need your help.

As a Junior at George Mason University, working on a bachelor's degree in women and human rights, I am planning to go to the Philippines this summer to study this problem first hand not only as a critical part of my college curriculum but as an essential requirement for me to combat this tragic situation on humanity itself. This trip is very important to me, the people of the Philippines, and humanity.

Please help me so I can help others by contributing to my studies to stop human trafficking.

Thank you.