Hello everyone,

I am only a few months away from graduating from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, but due to the economic crisis in Iran and the challenges of being a non-EU student, I am struggling to pay the final costs needed to finish my degree.

My name is Anahita, and I am currently in my fourth and final year studying Fashion Design at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague. After years of dedication and hard work, I am finally preparing for my graduation this July.

However, the journey to reach this point has been extremely difficult.

I came to the Netherlands from Iran to pursue  fashion. During my first years of study, my parents supported me financially as much as they could. But starting from my second year, the economic situation in Iran became drastically worse. Because of international sanctions, inflation, and the collapse of our currency, many families in Iran have been struggling financially.

In recent years, the Iranian currency has lost much of its value, and inflation has risen above 40%, making it increasingly difficult for families to support students abroad.

My parents truly did everything they could to help me continue my studies, but eventually the situation made it impossible for them to keep supporting me.

Last year, I created a fundraiser that helped me enormously to pay part of my tuition and some of my debt, and I will always be grateful to everyone who supported me. Without that help, I would not have been able to continue my studies.

Since the beginning of my final year, I have been doing everything I possibly can to stay in school. I have been working as much as possible, applying for funding, and borrowing money just to make it this far.

As a non-EU student from Iran, my tuition costs are almost €10,000 per year, which makes continuing my studies extremely challenging without family support.

Now that I am in the final months of my degree, I am working intensely on my graduation project. Because of this, I have very little time left to work. The income I manage to earn mostly goes toward rent and groceries, and it is not enough to cover my remaining academic costs.

To be able to graduate this July, I still need help covering:

• €3,000 remaining tuition
• €2,500 debt
• Costs for materials and production for my graduation project

I have come so far despite many obstacles, and I am incredibly close to finishing my degree. Graduating from this program would mean the world to me. It represents years of hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance during a very difficult time for my family and my country.

Any support -big or small - will help me take this final step and graduate.

Even if you are not able to donate, sharing this fundraiser with others would help me enormously.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for supporting my journey.

With gratitude,
Anahita Karimi