We’ve seen some strange crowdfunding projects out there, but this one is unique. Not only is it a local cause, but it is one that every university student would relate to.
Meet Edwin, a 25-year-old part-time student. He comes from a family with a humble background, with parents aged 78 and 80, and went from a polytechnic to pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance, and is due to graduate with First Class Honours this month from the Singapore Institute of Management, University of London International Programme. On top of that impressive feat, he’s also been offered a conditional placement to London School of Economics (LSE) to study his Masters, an admirable dream.
His biggest obstacle? Paying for it.
University courses are expensive, and so is the cost of living in London. But instead of opting for conventional methods such as applying for student loans, which can turn out to be a life-long burden, he has turned to crowdfunding to raise money for the endeavour. His IndieGoGo campaign is titled “Help Poor Edwin Fulfill Big Dream To LSE”, and he is asking for a hefty sum of £38,000 to get him through 44 weeks of school.
We have to applaud this guys’s courage and faith in people, to rely on random strangers to raise money for such a personal goal that seemingly provides no value for anyone but himself. However, he argues on his campaign page that with that LSE Masters, he would be able to give back to the Singapore community in great ways.
“For a city-state with no resources, limited land and a small population, I aim to be the world’s best and brightest to join its work force with an open-mind, and with a near-zero tolerance for dissent among the masses upon my return. I hope that one day, my work / research would be an asset to the society.”
He is not the first person to raise money through the crowdfunding platform for personal problems, with many people around the world using IndieGoGo to reach out for help with their loans. It is hard to tell if he will succeed in reaching his goal yet. Singaporeans tend to be largely unempathetic, though it is among the top 10 countries that support various Kickstarter campaigns.
The breakdown of costs are on his IndieGoGo campaign page, along with little incentives such as personalised emails and postcards, and even a personal visit wherever in the world for the angel that contributes £10,000.
What do you think, would you support ‘Poor Edwin’?
[Editorial Note: The crowdfunding page has been removed from its source, and photos have been edited to protect the identity of the affected parties.]
