Samantha Hope's study abroad. UK, Hertfordshire.
A LITTLE ABOUT MYSELF.
Hello, my name is Samantha Hope! I am 21 years old and currently living in Nairobi, Kenya, with my mother and sister. I am the last born of 3 girls with a single mom and grateful for the opportunity to share a little about my journey and why I have started this fundraiser. My father walked out of our lives when my mother was two months pregnant with me, and she struggled to raise my sisters and I as a single parent with help from family. Through it all, God remained faithful and saw us through different seasons. (Below is the last photo we took together as a family, I'm in the white dress : )
Unfortunately, everything crumbled. The company my mother worked for closed and we lost our household income. My mother took on a few available low paying jobs to help my older sister finish her education and we did all we could to help as well. We had times where it got really bad and we did not have a place to stay because we couldn't afford to pay rent or buy food. We struggled through it all and kept going and trying as a family, but because of the current situation and economy, I am now unable to continue with my education.
I however never lost hope and still find strength in my dreams and aspirations. I have always been passionate about mathematics from a very young age. In high school, I had the opportunity to participate in many mathematics and science-centered competitions. I was awarded first place in mathematics at Kitengela International High School in the competitions and graduated top of my class in mathematics. (Below is a photo of one of the many certificates I was awarded for 1st place.)
MY GOAL.
My desire is to pursue a degree in Mathematics. I believe this course will set me up for a promising future. The reason I wish to study in the UK is that studying abroad will give me more opportunities that are otherwise limited in my country. One of the opportunities I can get from this is having a year in industry and/or a study abroad option during my 3rd academic year. This will enable me to get a placement that pays and allow me to earn while still a student. This can also help me secure a job before graduating and the experience gained is a big help when applying for jobs after graduation. In addition to that, it has been a lifelong dream of mine to be able to study abroad and I am believing that I will see that dream become a reality.
In addition to starting this fundraiser, I went ahead and applied to 3 Universities in the UK. I was fortunate enough to receive an offer from all 3 schools and settled for the University of Hertfordshire, here is why. The school offered me a £ 2000 scholarship, making it a bit cheaper than the other two. The school also does not require me to take a foundation year and is allowing me to join 1st year directly. During my 3rd academic year, I have the option of taking a year in industry and during that year I will not be paying any fee to the University of Hertfordshire, unlike the other 2 schools. (Below is my offer letter from the University of Hertfordshire.)
WHAT I NEED YOUR HELP WITH.
I've been able to raise the school fee deposit to get my CAS document from the school. The expense left to cover is the health insurance fee needed when applying for my visa. Please help me reach my goal so I may be able to cover the remaining expenses to be able to see this through. I recently uploaded a video you can find below where I've clearly explained the progress I've made and what's left of the process.
You can help support my journey by donating to this GoFundMe. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. I would also ask that you help me by sharing this with everyone and anyone that you feel may be willing and able to help in any way. Feel free to post the link on any and every social media platform, I don't mind at all. If you have any questions or would like more information on the same, you can reach me through the contact option on this GoFundMe page. I'll be sure to respond immediately.
Thank you in advance for taking time to read this and for your consideration in supporting me. I am forever grateful and would love to one day be able to give back to others in need and show the same kindness that has been shown to me. Be blessed!
- Samantha Hope.
