Please help me secure a visa and research job

Hello, my name is Chimwemwe Phiri and I have recently been offered an incredible opportunity to join the University of Manchester as a Research Associate. The project focuses on a topic that is important to me - patient centred approaches to humanitarian work in Malawi.

While the university has generously agreed to sponsor my skilled worker visa, the costs must be covered upfront, and unfortunately as an early-career researcher, I do not have the savings to manage this on my own. The total cost for the visa is £4,432, which is a significant amount. Although the university will reimburse me after the application is successful, I need to raise the funds now to secure the visa and take the next step in my career.

This is where I kindly ask for your support. Whether it’s a small or large contribution, any amount will bring me closer to making this opportunity a reality. I’ve never reached out for financial help before, but I believe in the importance of this next step, not only for my career but also for the communities my research aims to serve. Your generosity would not only help me cover this cost but also allow me to continue pursuing my passion and contributing to research that can make a difference.

If I am able to raise the necessary funds and secure the visa, I fully intend to reimburse my donors once I receive the reimbursement from the university. I anticipate this process will take a few weeks to a month after my visa is approved.

I have confirmed with Manchester’s HR department that the reimbursement will be processed within 14 business days of making a claim. As soon as I receive this payment, I will post an update to notify all donors that I will begin repaying your generous contributions. I will make direct bank payments to those in the UK through sort codes / account numbers. For those who have a PayPal account, this will be the easiest way for me to make payments.

To keep you informed throughout this process, I will use GoFundMe’s updates portal to share any news.

Thank you so much for considering supporting my journey.

Breakdown of visa costs

£3105 - Immigration health surcharge for 3years (£1035 per year) ** the UK Home Office requires the entire health surcharge amount for the full 3 year period be paid upfront

£827 - standard visa fee

£500 - priority service fee

About Me

I am an anthropologist from Malawi and I recently completed my PhD from Durham University. My research examines past and present understandings of medical practices using visual methods to explore diverse narratives.