Penda's Exciting News

Dear Families and Friends of the Starling Sponsorship Program,

September 4, 2018 had been circled on my calendar for the last eight months. It was supposed to be Penda’s first day of school at St. Thomas Aquinas College. As the summer crept by and the program’s success continued to mount, I had allowed myself, for the first time, to anticipate her arrival: I began to design the sign my siblings and I would hold at the airport with Penda’s name on it as she walked through the arrivals hall at JFK; I imagined the clothes she would pick out when we took her shopping and what she would think of the experience; I planned a welcome party for Penda with the original Starling Sponsorship Program families; I started making a list of “American” activities I wanted to introduce her to like apple-picking, renaissance festivals and sledding in the snow. Most of all, I imagined being able to give Penda a celebratory hug for the first time in ten years.

But by mid-August, the US government had denied Penda’s student visa application twice without providing a justification for the denial. Understandably, Penda was devastated. She had gotten a hair’s breadth away from a life-changing American college education.

However, on August 30th at 9 a.m., Inside Higher Ed published an article about Penda’s visa denials. At 10 a.m. on the same day, my phone rang from an unknown number in Maine. The President of Unity College, a liberal arts school in Maine, was on the phone after just having read the article. He was born in The Gambia, sympathized with Penda’s situation and wanted to help. He was granting Penda a full scholarship to pursue a four-year online degree through his school while supporting her continued attempts to apply for her student visa. He also offered to gift Penda a brand new laptop so that she could pursue her online degree with ease. Lastly, he wanted to travel to The Gambia to deliver Penda’s acceptance letter in person, and he insisted that after all my effort it was only right that I be there with him.

So, after a winding two-year journey with more highs and lows then I could have possibly imagined, we finally achieved our first true success: Penda Jallow will receive a four-year American college degree. And, I still get to give her that celebratory hug.

Best, Ashleigh

P.S. Stay tuned for an update after our upcoming Gambia trip (currently planned for mid-October). Not only do I plan to spend a lot of time catching up with Penda, Awa and Adama, but I also hope to reconnect with the original Starling Sponsorship Program class.