Woman, 21, who couldn’t afford study fees weeps as strangers donate £39k so she can fulfil her dream of becoming a nurse
KIND-HEARTED strangers donated more £39k to an aspiring nurse to attend uni after a video of her weeping about how she couldn’t afford her fees went viral.
Naana Aisha Issaka, 21, from Nottingham, posted the video on her Instagram page a week ago after learning she’d received a much-wanted offer to study adult nursing at Leicester De Montford University – but simply couldn’t afford to attend.
In the video which was viewed 122k times she explained how extortionate fees meant she couldn’t fulfil her long-held ambitions.
“I really didn’t want to do a video like this but today I just felt like I had no choice,” she said, breaking down in tears. “I am at university studying adult nursing to hopefully become a nurse one day.
“I am in my first year of my degree and hopefully starting my second year in October.
“I applied for student finance last year but was unfortunately denied but was told that in my third year I would be eligible.
“This allowed me to me to stay motivated and not give up on my dreams of becoming a nurse so I decided that I was going to pay for my first and second year of university.
“Because of this I have had to work alongside of doing my degree so that I can afford to pay for the tuition fee of £9,250 per year.
“This meant that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy university like other first year students I also wouldn’t be able to rent out a student accommodation as the fees are very high on top of me already paying the tuition fee.
“Today I just decided to call Student Finance England just to make sure that I will be getting my SFE on my third.
“Unfortunately I am now being told that I am not eligible.”
She went onto say how the news had “broken her”.
“That little hope I had has now all gone. I just feel like stuck,” she explained.
“I now don’t know if my dreams of being a nurse if even going to happen anymore due to all the cost of tuition fees I am looking at paying.
“Please please please I am begging if someone can please help me to find a way to solve this. I will literally do anything to ensure that I can continue my degree.”
She set up a GoFundMe page and astonishingly 266 people donated £39k – including supermodel Cara Delevingne who gave her £2k.
One person wrote: “No value of money should determine someones right to education! Wishing you all the best in your future studies.”
Another added: “Your determination, strength and courage are incredible! You’re going to make an amazing nurse.”
Naana said she was overwhelmed with the kindness of people, explaining she had worked 60-plus hours a week with vulnerable adults to achieve her dreams.
That little hope I had has now all gone. I just feel like stuck.
Naana Aisha Issaka
“Through all the hardship l have endured, l have still continued to work hard at college to gain the best grade l can achieve to allow me to get a place at the universities l have applied,” she said, adding she would attend Leicester De Montford University and hoped to become an adult care nurse.
She told how the cash would go on accommodation (£8k), University (£27.7k) and books, a laptop and transport (£3k).
Visit her GoFundMe page here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/becoming-an-adult-nurse?utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer
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