Help a refugee scholar access her scholarship!

Hello! My name is Sharon Kisubi. I’m 20 years old, and I’m asking for your help to follow my dreams of becoming a clinical psychologist. I’ve been awarded a (full-ride) Refugee Scholarship at Wheaton College, Massachusetts starting in August 2023! Although this is a tremendous opportunity, my family and I live in Thailand as refugees and can’t cover the remaining $10,000 in expenses (cost breakdown below) as we live paycheck to paycheck. Every donation is greatly appreciated and takes me one step closer to achieving my childhood dreams and giving back to my community.

My Story

I was 10 years old when my family and I sought asylum in Thailand, because of my dad’s situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Due to an encounter with immigration detention officers in 2014, I was out of school until a family friend volunteered to tutor me every week for two years. Eventually, I received a full four-year scholarship to KIS International School, Bangkok, and graduated in 2021. During my time at KIS, I joined my school’s online newspaper, writing articles on fun psychology facts for my peers. I instantly fell in love with psychology as a study of innate human complexities. My love for psychology was strengthened upon joining Jesuit Refugee Service as a psychosocial assistant, where I conducted group support activities and community outreach on mental health topics such as stress management.

Life as a refugee in Thailand

Refugees are not legally recognised in Thailand and can be detained at any moment. A quiet afternoon in Bangkok transformed into one of the most dreadful days of my life with a simple knock on the door and the presence of two tall figures. I cried as I watched my dad being hauled towards the van; I felt hopeless faced with the possibility of never seeing my father again. The next time I saw my dad was 2 months later on a bed, looking frail and hopeless. I later learned that he had a stroke and was released on medical bail. After that, we moved to a less central area of Thailand, in an attempt to limit encounters with law officials.

My Passion for Psychology

Learning psychology has propelled my gradual understanding of my refugee identity as a part of the individual that I am today. I would love to help other people, particularly in my home country who struggle with similar issues that I have faced. I believe mental health is important, even when basic necessities such as proper medical care and employment are difficult to obtain for refugees. I am excited to begin my journey in college as I believe it will help me to uncover the mysteries of human behaviour to better understand my identity and role in the world.

With the deepest gratitude,

Sharon Kisubi

Cost Breakdown

The scholarship covers full tuition, room and board, health insurance, a 700 USD stipend each semester for books and an opportunity to work on campus covering personal living expenses.

I need help to pay for these expenses:

F-1 U.S. Visa fees from Tanzania = 290$

New Tanzanian biometric Passport fees = 75$

Overstay fee for Thai Immigration prior to leaving the country = 590$

Flight ticket from Bangkok to Boston (via Dar es Salaam to process my US visa) = 2,400$

Winter clothes (Thailand is hot all year round, so I will be buying everything for the first time) = 1,000$

Laptop = 645$

An emergency fund - I have been advised that this is a requirement for getting a US Visa. This can be used for medical emergencies in the U.S. or any other type of emergency. The funds will be kept in my bank account that I will open once I arrive on campus = 5,000$

GoFundMe Fees = $500

Testimonial:

I was Sharon’s Secondary School Principal for the entirety of the time that she attended KIS, and was part of the committee that selected her via KIS’s Refugee Scholarship Program. Sharon is a sincere and diligent student. She worked exceedingly hard at KIS and achieved excellent grades in both her MYP and DP programs following a challenging interruption in her formal education. Sharon cares deeply about others, and I am very excited to see how she will use the opportunity to further her education through Wheaton College to make the world a better place.

Michael Hirsch

KIS Secondary School Principal 2008-2022