I am an author, a social justice activist, and a computer programmer. You can find out more about me by searching for "William Minter Africa" on Google. I am raising money for tuition for Erick Kibigo, a Kenyan doctoral student at Howard University whose tuition fellowship was cancelled when Trump abolished USAID.

Kenyan Doctoral Student at Howard Needs Urgent Assistance after USAID Fellowship Axed by Trump

Needed to pay backlog of tuition to Howard by May 11: $31,000.

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Effects of Trump Shutdown of USAID

Trump has done so much damage in so many ways to people in the USA and around the world that no one could possibly list them all. But one of these ways is the fallout from shutting down USAID, which has hurt many people in different ways. For just two examples, there are unemployed USAID staff who are struggling to find new jobs and pay their expenses in the meantime, as well as HIV/AIDS survivors in Zambia losing access to vital medications previously paid for by USAID.

Given my fairly secure economic situation, race, and other privileges, I have not been directly affected by Trump's attacks. Nor have many people who I know personally. But this is different: I know the person involved, we are working together, and we have become friends and comrades.

Summary of Background

When experienced Swahili scholar and teacher Erick Kibigo got on the flight from Nairobi to Washington, DC on 27th August 2025 for a Ph. D. at Howard University, he had a full fellowship for tuition and a green card for supplementary work. He also had a B.A. and a M.A. from Kenyan universities and fifteen years of experience in teaching Swahili to Kenyans who were not native speakers of Swahili, teaching teachers of teachers, and evaluating educational policies on the teaching of Swahili. For more on Erick´s background, click here.

When he arrived in Washington, DC, he discovered that while he was in the air, Trump was abolishing USAID and that his fellowship had disappeared with it. He was able to find temporary housing with friends of friends in Baltimore. But he lacked funds for tuition, and his modest stipend of $2,000 / month was drained by having to take the MARC train to DC for every day he had classes.

Coincidentally, at the same time, I was asking my friend Anita Plummer, director of graduate programs in African Studies, if she had any graduate students who could help me with inventories of my books and research files as I was moving from DC to Oberlin, Ohio later that month. Fortunately she recommended Erick, and I agreed to pay him for 8 hours a week to assist. I was also fortunate to be in touch with David Cohen, a Portuguese American scholar who was applying for doctoral studies at several U.S. universities to study U.S. policies toward Angola during the Angolan liberation struggles. Without the aid of the two of them, I have no idea how I would have been ready in time to load what I was taking to Oberlin on the moving truck.

Personal Message from Erick

I am a doctoral student at Howard University and a proud scholar from Kenya whose journey reflects perseverance, sacrifice, and an unwavering belief in the power of education. From humble beginnings, I worked tirelessly to support myself through my undergraduate studies at University of Nairobi and later earned my master’s degree at Daystar University. Through hard work, determination, and faith, I achieved a lifelong dream when I was admitted in a Ph. D. program in African Studies at Howard University.

Currently, I have a financial hold on my student account with a balance of $31,000. Due to budget cuts within the Federal government. I lost my fellowship for tuition, making it impossible to register for continued courses.

I am a devoted father of two children, whom I left behind for this academic journey. I have devoted my life to teaching and empowering African communities through education. My work spans teaching Swahili Language at multiple levels, including at Howard University. Beyond teaching, my deepest focus is on education policy reform to tackle the learning gap in African countries, working toward a future where African education systems are accessible and equitable. In other words, as the saying goes here in the United State, ensuring that no child is left behind.

If you are able to make a contribution it would be more than just financial help to me as an individual. It would be an investment in an educator who is committed to uplift communities through education. By supporting me, you are lighting a candle for the future of educational systems, to expand for generations to come.

Please support me by sharing this fundraising request with your networks. If you are aware of any sources that might be helpful, please feel free to share with them, or to pass the contact information to me. Thank you for reading this and whatever support or advice you might be able to give me.