Help Nicole Reach Her Dream of Attending University

Nicole is a bright, determined 15-year-old student with a dream of becoming a doctor. She’s always loved learning, and she has the dedication, compassion, and intelligence to achieve her goal. But for Nicole, the path to education has never been easy.

I’ve known Nicole and her family since she was in preschool. Her parents, Brilliant and her husband, are hardworking people from Zimbabwe who moved to South Africa to give their children a better education. Her mom works as a house cleaner; her dad drives a truck. I remember when I ran a private school—her parents scraped together every bit they could to pay for Nicole to attend. After long workdays, they would walk nearly two miles to join parent meetings that even parents with cars often skipped. Their dedication showed me then, as it does now, that they would do anything to provide opportunity for their children.

When I moved to America in 2018, Brilliant made the difficult decision to send her children back to Zimbabwe to live with family so that she and her husband could continue working and sending money home. They managed to keep the children in good schools for years, but in the spring of 2025, financial pressures made this impossible.

Nicole and her brother, Neil, moved to a small village outside of Cape Town. The only school her parents could afford was far from their home. Every morning, Nicole wakes at 5 a.m. and travels an hour and a half on unsafe roads and buses to reach a school that, while providing the basics, doesn’t prepare students for college. In South Africa, families have to pay to access safe, quality education for their children.

Despite every obstacle, Nicole continues to work hard and dream big. She has now been accepted to Wellington Preparatory and College, a private school known for academic excellence and for preparing students for university entrance and success.

This is the opportunity she has been waiting for — a safe, supportive school environment where her love for learning can truly take root. But the cost of tuition, safe housing and transportation is beyond what her family can manage alone.

I’m asking for your help to pay Nicole’s school fees and safe living conditions for the 2025 school year. Every donation will help to offset the living costs for the family as they make the move to ensure the educational goals of their children.

Your gift—no matter the size—will make a direct, life-changing impact. It will allow Nicole to attend Wellington Preparatory, continue her studies safely, and move one step closer to her dream of becoming a doctor.

In Jewish tradition, we call this tikkun olam—the sacred work of repairing the world. Our sages teach that saving even one life is as if we have saved an entire world, and that every act of kindness brings light where there was once darkness. Maimonides taught that the highest form of tzedakah—charity—is to help someone gain the tools and education to become self-sufficient. Supporting Nicole’s education does exactly that. It’s not just a gift for today; it’s a gift that will carry forward for generations. When we lift one child, we lift families, communities, and futures.

To everyone who contributes—thank you. Your support means more than words can say. We’ve created a private Instagram page, @LiftNicoleHigher, where donors will receive updates on Nicole’s journey: her first days at Wellington Preparatory, school milestones, and glimpses of the difference your kindness is making.

It’s a way to stay connected to the impact of your giving—to see what hope looks like in action.

How You Can Help (Goal of $8,000) per year until graduation in 2028

$36 helps with daily transportation to school

$125 helps cover books and supplies

$280 supports a month of tuition

$235.00 covers a monthly subsidy for safe housing.

$3,500 covers her full school year at Wellington Preparatory

$8,000 covers all schooling fees, transportation and a subsidy for safe, clean housing.

Every donation—large or small—helps Nicole step closer to her dream of becoming a doctor and helping others. Together, we can make sure her story becomes one of possibility and promise.

Nicole’s story is a reminder that hope grows strongest when it’s shared. Her determination, her family’s resilience, and our collective belief in her future can change the course of a life—and maybe even many others to come.

Let’s lift her higher.

I’ve always believed that if we can help even one person rise to higher ground, we’ve already made the world a better place. None of us can help everyone—but imagine if each of us reached out to lift just one person. The impact would be extraordinary.

That’s why this project means so much to me.