Online appeal helps former interpreter
Indiegogo campaign for Afghan student launched by total stranger
A crowdsourcing campaign to cover Maryam Sahar Naqibullah’s tuition is allowing the former Afghan interpreter the freedom to worry about such normal student stressors as assignments and exams as she enters her first semester at Carleton University.
“Before, my big attention was about my financial support, but I’m a little bit now kind of relaxed,” said 19-yearold Sahar, who will begin studying toward a degree in international relations this fall.
David Brook, a complete stranger to Sahar, launched the Indiegogo campaign after reading her story in the Citizen.
“This is somebody who risked her own life and her family’s life to help Canada,” Brook said.
“I find it really unfortunate that she’s kind of fallen through the cracks of this program. Government are really good at doing programs, but they’re not good at a unique situation. Maryam was the only female interpreter, she’s the only teenager. It’s very difficult because she doesn’t fit into that kind of standard package.”
As a young girl living in Afghanistan, Sahar was the only female interpreter for Canadian and U.S. reconstruction forces in Kandahar City. Before she was 18, the Taliban had killed Sahar’s two best friends and kidnapped her 11-year-old brother in broad daylight. Growing security risks forced Sahar to immigrate to Ottawa in October 2011 under the Afghan Interpreter Immigration Program. She came alone, at only 17 years old.
During her first year in Canada, Sahar received $750 a month through the Afghan Interpreter Immigration Program to cover the cost of housing, food and other expenses.
Now she juggles her work as an interpreter at Reception House, an Ottawa organization that welcomes refugees and immigrants, with a role criss-crossing the country with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to teach Afghanistan-military about the country’s customs.
The work is sporadic, leaving Sahar unable to afford the student fees at Carleton University. Since Brook instigated a “soft launch” of the campaign by sending the information to about 20 of his family and friends, 22 people have donated a combined $1,390 to help pay for Sahar’s fouryear degree program.
Brook said he launched the online campaign to acknowledge the sacrifices Sahar made to support human rights in Afghanistan and to help her to build a successful future in Canada. He initially wanted to set the campaign goal at $30,000, enough to pay for Sahar’s degree in full, but was worried it wouldn’t be met, allowing Indiegogo to collect a five-per-cent administrative penalty. He set the bar at $10,000 but said there is no cap on the amount donated.
On Monday, Brook said he kicked off the full campaign, using email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to spread the word.
In an ideal world, Brook said, Carleton would waive the cost of tuition for Sahar.
“She already lives this very stressful life, so if Carleton steps up with a full or a partial tuition waiver, then the money that we raised can go toward her room and board and books, and all the other costs that I think a lot of us take for granted when we go to university.”
Sahar said both she and her parents, who remain in Afghanistan, are very grateful for the kind people in Canada who are offering their support. “My parents said, ‘ Canadians helped you in Kandahar, they helped Afghans, and now they’re looking after you in Canada.’ They were excited, because they said, ‘ We can’t afford to help you but if people there are helping you, we’re really, really grateful for that.’ They’re looking forward to meeting all my network of these people one day in Canada.”
Sahar is paying for her first semester at Carleton with $4,000 worth of donations she acquired after the Citizen ran her story. That money, coupled with the donations from Indiegogo, will fulfil Sahar’s lifelong dream of going to university. Donate to the Campaign for Maryam can be made at indiegogo.com/projects/campaign-for-maryam