My name is David Fashekomi. I am a third year Bioscience major at the University of Windsor, and I am creating this GoFundMe because I am genuinely fighting for my future. I came to Canada on my own with nothing except hope and the belief that education could change my life. I have no family here and no one to turn to when things become difficult. Every step forward depends entirely on me, and every setback hits with full force because I do not have anyone to catch me if I fall. Even with that reality, I arrived determined to build something meaningful for myself.

Before I came here, I planned carefully. My mother and I worked hard to save enough money for three years of tuition. It took a lot of sacrifice from both of us, but we believed it was worth it. Not long after I arrived, everything changed. The economy in my home country collapsed, and the foreign exchange rate shot up unbelievably fast. Money that was supposed to last three full years barely carried me through my first. It was heartbreaking to watch all that preparation disappear in front of me, but I kept pushing because I refused to let the situation destroy the goals I had worked hard toward.

I worked long hours and received help from friends when they could afford to give, and this is how I survived my second year. During this time, my mother was also trying to help, but I found out later that she had been hiding something from me. She had been diagnosed with Interstitial lung disease. She kept the truth away from me because she did not want me to add to the stress I was already under. Her condition led to repeated and frightening asthma attacks that put her in the hospital for days. She could not work the way she used to, and her resources were drained. I was trying to keep my education going while also dealing with the fear of losing the person who stood by me.

I applied for every scholarship and award available to international students, hoping that would ease the weight I was carrying. I did not receive any of them. Even with everything I was dealing with, I made sure my challenges never changed the way I treated other people. I know how lonely it can feel, especially for international students who must adjust, survive, and grow at the same time. I try to help others whenever I can. I share resources that could make their life easier. I connect people to jobs I have had. I try to make sure that the people around me do not feel the same level of isolation I have had to carry. Helping others has always given me strength, even during moments when I felt like I had none left for myself.

I want anyone reading this to know that I did not come here lightly. I have tried every other options before turning to this. I have applied to student loans that support international students, only to find out that many lenders stopped offering loans to STEM students at my University. It felt like every door kept closing, one after the other. Throughout this, my department head and the cashier's office have done everything they can to keep me registered. If I get removed from my courses or do not register for the coming Winter 2026 semester because I cannot pay, I risk immigration consequences that could include losing my status entirely. The fear of that never leaves my mind.

Right now, I owe nineteen thousand dollars(CAD19,000) for fall 2025. I am working as hard as I can, but what I have managed to save is nowhere near enough to let me register for Winter 2026 or the semesters after it. Everything I have said here is included in the media attached to this fundraiser because I want to be completely open about my situation. Asking for help on such a huge platform is something I never imagined I would have to do, but I am at a point where I have exhausted every possible option.

If you are reading this, thank you for giving me the chance to share my story. If you decide to support me, please know that your kindness is helping me hold on to a dream I have been fighting for with everything in me as every proceed of this fundraiser will go directly into my tuition fees. May God bless you for your compassion and for taking the time to care.

David ❤️