My Bridge Year Trip

Hello, thank you for visiting my website! My name is Miniya Ali and I'm a high school senior in Huntsville, Alabama. After I graduate, I will pursue undergraduate studies in agriculture and industrial distribution. However, instead of going straight to college, I will be taking a bridge year to do an apprenticeship abroad. I have been invited to be a fellow in the prestigious Global Citizen Year Program . I will be a member of the 2017-2018 cohort and I am proud to be the first student from the state of Alabama to participate in the program! (Download Press Release). It is an honor to represent my state as I embark on this exciting new adventure. I will be departing for my host country of Senegal, West Africa in September 2017 and returning in April 2018 after completing an 8-month apprenticeship there.

The amount I need to raise is to help offset travel expenses, and the cost of remaining tuition and fees. The scholarship that I was awarded was both merit- and need-based; based on my family's household size and income. I have a goal to raise the total amount by December 2017. I live at home with my mom and sibling and coming from a single-parent home raising this amount can be a challenge. However, I'm determined to do my part and with your help, I know it is possible. I am set to graduate in May of this year, and for family a friends who are considering a graduation gift, please know that a donation to my campaign is one of the best gifts I could ever wish for. Any amount that you can donate to my fundraising campaign for this trip will be put to good use and would be much appreciated.

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far! More than just a trip, Senegal has significant meaning to me because of my ancestry

When I received the news that I had been assigned to complete an international development apprenticeship in Senegal, West Africa I was beyond ecstatic! Being assigned to Africa as my host country represents much more to me than just a chance to reset before college and travel abroad. The chance to travel to Senegal in particular is like a dream come and the culmination of a life-long goal that I've had since I was a young child. You see in 2006 when I was eight years old, my family was among the early participants National Geographic's Human Genome Project which has helped millions of people around the world to map their ancestral lineage through DNA analysis. We learned that my maternal lineage is traced back to the Senegambia region of West Africa which is now present-day Senegal! Through additional analysis we learned that I have exact maternal DNA matches to people living today in Senegal who are members of the Balanta ethnic group.

We fully embraced the new-found knowledge of our Senegalese ancestry. Growing up, my mother was constantly seeking out resources to help us learn more about the country. From exposing me to books, cinema, magazines, music, videos, food, etc.; at every turn she made every effort to make sure we were aware and celebrated our Senegalese roots. To me Africa was a place that I longed for, it seemed so close yet so far away and out of reach. I didn't know how I would do it but I was determined to travel there one day. This is the dilemma many African Americans face who wish to journey back to the land of their ancestors. They desire to go to Africa but for many the cost is prohibitive.

One day during my junior year in high school, I stumbled upon the terms “bridge year” and "gap year". I learned that it was a relatively new concept of seniors taking a year off after high school to do a service-related project in the community or abroad before starting college. I thought this idea was brilliant and perfect for me so I decided to do some research. I found out about Global Citizen Year who offered Senegal as one of four host countries where students could be assigned to complete apprenticeships. I knew the application process would be competitive but I decided to apply and I'm glad I took a chance and didn't give up!

For each person who makes a donation, if you include your name and mailing address, upon my return from Senegal, I will bring back a small gift for you as a token of my gratitude and appreciation.

Thank you so much for reading my story and for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Miniya