It Takes A Village: Send Khatim to South Africa!

As a single mother, I have had the absolute pleasure yet insurmountable responsibility of raising my 14-year-old son, Khatim, who has become an intelligent, witty, generous, kind-hearted, loving, compassionate and creatively beautiful soul. Since birth, Khatim has defied the odds and overcome limitations, handling each challenge with inner strength, humor and positivity. Through perseverance and hard work, he has developed the emotional intelligence to manage his ADHD/low-spectrum Autism and depression. Over the past two years, during a pandemic, he worked really hard to transition from therapeutic day school to public school for high school and earned high marks his first semester. Not to mention, he achieved the 2nd highest grade in the class on the algebra midterm exam. So, when he excitedly asked me if we somehow could make the June 2024 trip to South Africa with EF Tours a reality (I’ve always been very transparent with him about our household budget), I told him I would find a way to make it work. Despite our current financial situation, I told him that he deserves the same opportunities that are so often granted to children in more privileged households.

As a working single mom, I believe that I have done a commendable job raising Khatim to be pretty independent and self-sufficient - as much as any teenager can be. Although his other parent has not been present, I have not been alone. I've had the luxury of being a part of multiple loving villages full of family, friends, neighbors, teachers, mentors and the likes who have supported us in our times of need.

As an honor student myself, I received scholarships to attend a school-sponsored trip to Italy and Mexico at ages 13 and 16. Although I have been unable to afford international travel as a single parent since then, my worldviews, perspectives and ability to think beyond myself were changed forever by those experiences. I am forever grateful to the programs and people who came together and made those trips a reality for me. At this time, I call upon our village once again to help me help my son make this extraordinary journey. Exposure to new surroundings helps teens understand that life is more than their bubble and sparks a flame within them to dream, plan, imagine and believe that another world exists and another life is possible. This is especially true with international travel.

You can see the EF Tours "Discover South Africa" travel itinerary here. I plan to pay as much as I can independently, but I am currently working two, sometimes three, jobs to make ends meet. Khatim is looking for a job so that he can contribute $500-$1000 to his trip. We will, of course, apply for merit and financial need scholarships, although there is no guarantee that he will receive an award. We have until February 2024 to pay off the trip balance. A breakdown of the cost of the trip is below:

$5,739 (covers airfare, travel insurance, daily breakfast and dinner, all tours/attractions and lodging for 11 days)

+$100 tip for Tour Directors (collected at the onset of the trip and given directly to the tour guides)

+$700 spending money ($60 -100 per day per EF Tours suggestions, and it is an 11 day trip - includes lunch money, souvenirs, free time activities and additional excursions)

+$150 passport photos and passport fee ($135 for passport + $15 for photo)

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$6,689

-$285 deposit I paid on 10/25

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$6,404

We hope you will find it in your hearts (and wallets, of course) to help Khatim make this dream a reality. No donation amount is too small to make a difference. We love you all. Thank you so much,

Khatim and Sonjacharde'