Hi my name is Hazel Brown-Patterson, Executive Director of Higher Intervention Services Project Inc. (The H.I.S. Project).

The H.I.S. Project is a charitable foundation committed to expanding educational opportunities for young people in the United States and the Caribbean. This month, we are proud to spotlight one of our highly motivated scholars, Aaliyah Natasha Guppy, a matriculating medical student at St. George’s University.

Thank you for your amazing generous response to our campaign! We're making great progress thanks to supporters like you. Feel free to follow our updates to see the impact.

This is her story.

I am Aaliyah Guppy, and I have been accepted into St. George's School of Medicine starting January 14th, 2026. I'm reaching out for support with tuition, housing, and living expenses as I pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a physician.

Breaking Generational Barriers

As the first person in my family to attend university, I understand the transformative power of education. My father works as a maintenance worker, while my mom is a stay-at-home parent caring for my brother, who has hydrocephalus. With seven siblings, the financial burden of medical school is insurmountable for my family, and government funding in Trinidad and Tobago for American medical schools is not available.

From an early age, I understood the gravity of my family's situation. Education, I believed, would be my path forward. Achieving good grades was an uphill battle. We resided in my grandfather's apartment building, an unsafe environment where incessant noise and loud music from neighbors made studying extremely challenging. During financially difficult times, electricity would be disconnected, forcing me to find alternative ways to study in the darkness.

Our building was notorious for illegal drug activity, confining my siblings and me indoors. One morning stands out vividly: a police raid jolted us awake on the day of my final External High School Environmental Science exam. We were ordered outside and searched while drug-sniffing dogs went through our belongings. I arrived at the exam overwhelmed with anger—at the morning's events, at the perpetual lack of electricity, at the constant noise, and at countless other hardships. Through divine intervention, I found the strength to set aside my turmoil and ultimately achieved an A.

My Purpose and Vision

The pressures of maintaining good grades while pursuing medical school have pushed me to my limits. In my darkest moments, I found solace in my faith. My relationship with God deepened, renewing my mind and transforming my being.

Getting into medical school is profoundly significant. It validates my struggles and affirms my worth. It means I've broken free from the cycle of generational hardship. Despite being told I came from nothing and would amount to nothing, I've proven those words false.

My motivation to become a spine surgeon stems from a commitment to lifelong learning and a desire to improve patients' quality of life through both clinical practice and research. My long-term goal is to excel in my field and ultimately contribute to improving patient outcomes.

I live by the belief that with faith, everything falls into place, and what seems impossible becomes possible. This conviction is my driving force. This is my rallying cry!

How You Can Help

1st Year Medical School Funding Requirements: $62,317 (January 2026 to December 2026)

Funding Received:

St. George's University Medical School partial tuition scholarship: $14,000

The H.I.S. Project: $8000

Total Funds Received: $16,200

Funding Still Needed:

Tuition/Housing: $8000

Food: $1500

Transportation: $1335

Books: $740

Air Evacuation Annual Fee: $210

Miscellaneous: $4000

Total Funds Needed: $15,785

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated and never wasted. Your support will help me become the physician I was meant to be and give back to communities that need it most.

With sincere gratitude,

Aaliyah

Note: The total amount we are still trying to raise is $15,785. The amount you see when you donate was automatically set by Go Fund me, which will continually extend until we meet our goal. Thank you!