During my studies, I sometimes wondered how I would manage. Now that I’ve graduated, I realise that it’s not the studying itself, but funding it that is THE real challenge.

As my studies taught me not only to persevere far beyond my limits, to conduct research, to cope with stress and to keep going, but also to recognise that helping hands can generate enormous strength, I am now asking for your help:

It is only now that I realise just how expensive education is.

One carefree Tuesday afternoon, a notice from the Federal Student Loan Fund arrived in my letterbox: €27,686.36

I can’t manage that on my own

Not in my whole life!

I studied Social Work and Early Childhood Education Research, ran my own family yoga business on the side, worked in the university lab and gave tutorials to first-year students, counselled families, gave birth to two children and supported them through nursery and their first years at school.

During the pandemic, I not only coped with a break-up, a few operations and crises, but also wrote my Master’s thesis whilst looking after my children, supported my eldest through her primary school diploma via home-schooling, organised my youngest’s start at school and dealt with all the other matters; for the most part, I managed to keep myself going, though sometimes I was brought to my knees. And so it is today: I work 30 hours a week in a school, continue to support my/our children through their childhood and adolescence, and pay for our daily bread, the rent, school, and so on for the three of us...

I never imagined the mountain of debt would be so huge, and it actually weighs on me so heavily that, in order to free myself, I am setting up a crowdfunding campaign to collect contributions with which I can settle my loan debts of just under €30,000, because:

Ultimately, I would like to set up my own part-time business in the field of family support and counselling, thereby making a meaningful contribution to our society.

I am turning to you in confidence.

My master’s degree led me into a disaster.

I never took it seriously that education is only for those who can afford it.

Many thanks!