Support for education costs and reaching my dream.

Help an Iranian Immigrant with Cerebral Palsy Pay for Her Tuition and Fulfill Her Dreams.

My name is Gianni Del Negro, and I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I would like to introduce you to Somayeh, a resilient and intelligent Iranian immigrant who needs financial assistance to realize her goal of becoming a pharmacist. I hired Somayeh as a pharmacy assistant over one year ago. Throughout this time, she has amazed me with her work ethic, tenacity, and courage. Somayeh was born with cerebral palsy, but her condition has not stopped her from fighting to reach her goals. Throughout her life, people have told Somayeh that she could not do things because of her disability; however, she has consistently proven her doubters wrong.

I strive to assist Somayeh with the high cost of her Pharmacy PharmD Program Tuition, a program she started this fall, 2023. She has saved enough money to cover some of her first-year tuition. Still, she needs assistance to cover the remaining three years of the program as she is not eligible for student loans.

As you read her story below, you will discover what an amazing individual she truly is and how she has overcome many obstacles and challenges to try to reach her goal.

Hello everyone! My name is Somayeh, and I opened a GoFundMe account for those willing to help me fund my education expenses.

I was born with cerebral palsy in Iran. People with disabilities are looked upon very unfavourably in my country. I faced constant ridicule during my elementary and high school years, and people always told me I would not amount to much. However, I did not allow myself to be victimized by my disability and was proud to graduate high school and pass the required university entrance exams.

Despite achieving good grades, I was passed over for acceptance into post-secondary programs in favour of non-disabled students. Finally, Tehran University accepted me into their accounting major. I completed my degree with excellent marks and then started looking for a job. Unfortunately, most businesses would not hire a disabled person such as me despite my good marks. I searched for an exceptionally long time and finally accepted a job as an accountant, but at a much lower pay rate than the business offered other accountants.

As time passed, other co-workers with less experience were offered promotions and rate increases. When I raised these concerns with my boss, I was told, "You have a disability, and you are lucky even to have a job." I was told that I should just be happy to be working and that they would never promote a "cripple."

In Iran, society does not respect disabled people and does not believe disabled people can contribute to society. Therefore, I decided to immigrate by myself to Canada to improve my future, much to my family's objections.

I had three immigration options: Vancouver, Toronto, or Montreal. Since the immigration application to Montreal would be the least expensive, I decided to apply for immigration to Montreal. I pleaded with my family to provide the funding for the application. They only agreed because they believed I would not be successful. After all, the process would require me to correspond and undergo all interviews in French. They thought I could not learn enough French to be successful. I enrolled in French lessons, and after one year, I applied and went through the interview process in French. I surprised everyone by having my application accepted. Within two years, I received my immigration visa and moved to Montreal.

The first few months were extremely hard for me as the cold weather in Montreal made it challenging for me to get around the city with my disability. I realized I would need to move to a milder climate because of my health condition, so I moved to Vancouver.

I started to build my life in this city and registered for English courses at Douglas College. After two years, I finished my English courses and registered for general science courses. Soon, I transferred my credits to UBC and changed my major to biochemistry. In April 2022, I graduated from UBC with a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry.

After months of searching, I finally found a job as a pharmacy assistant at a major pharmacy chain. Here, I realized that I would want to be a pharmacist, be self-sufficient, and help others with disabilities like me.

I applied to the School of Pharmacy at UBC and after a few attempts, I was finally accepted for this fall semester.

Unfortunately, at this time, I discovered that I would not be eligible for a loan to support my schooling. I have managed to save enough to cover most of my first semester of school, but without funding, I will not be able to cover my last three and half years of schooling. For this reason, I am asking for your help and support.

I aspire to be an active participant in society and make meaningful contributions to the betterment of our community. By staying informed and involved, I believe I can contribute my skills, knowledge, and resources to address societal challenges and create positive change not only for those with disabilities but for everyone. As a pharmacist, I could find a good-paying job, pay my fair share of taxes, and assist others. This is my goal; this is my passion.

Please assist me on this journey.

Thank you,

Somayeh Mansouri