Building resilient communities is important as we face an uncertain future in this era of climate change. And one way we can protect ourselves, as many of you know, is by helping others. Being there for each other builds trust. And we need more of it these days! So to that end, I would like to share Sangho's story.
Sangho and I have been friends since 2013. One of my many students in Drexel's English Language Center, we bonded on the day he came to class with a toothache.
While Sangho spoke about four languages at that time, none of them were English. So with only a few shared words between us, we took our charades skills to the dentist office. It somehow worked, and he received treatment for his bad tooth. We've been friends ever since. If I ever get in a serious jam myself, I know Sangho is someone I could count on to help.
Today I registered a Go Fund Me campaign for my buddy.
So here it is—Please help if you can!
Hello Friends, I am raising funds for a dear friend, Sangho Alhousseyni, so that he can achieve his dream of owning a prosperous tire and automotive business in Philadelphia.
I met Sangho in 2013 when he first came to the US from Mali. He was learning English and pursuing his business studies here. After he completed his coursework, Mali was experiencing political turmoil, so he decided to apply for residency to remain in the United States.
Sangho began working in the automotive service industry doing everything from managing a car wash to running a tire shop. However, his dream was always to have his own business. But that dream nearly ended prematurely one night, in an Upper Darby convenience store. He walked inside to find an armed robber pointing a gun at another customer and demanding money. To prevent this person from being shot, Sangho opened his wallet and gave the robber all of the money he had, which he had planned to send to his family—$600. The robber took it and ran. The police never caught him, but Sangho said the money was nothing compared to preventing any loss of life.
At the time that this happened, Sangho was in the process of obtaining his permanent residency here. Strangely, this incident has helped move his case forward. Now he is in a good position to achieve his dream.
After years of saving, Sangho has been able to lease a location in South Philly and is building a clientele for tires. However, his shop is growing slowly, and he needs to provide more services to stay in business. Sangho's shop, at 2212 S. 28th Street in Philadelphia, is well-placed along the Schuykill Expressway to help stranded motorists with their tire emergencies, but he needs to be able to lease a tow truck in order to do it.
We are trying to raise $10,000 to take Sangho's Tire and Automotive Repair Shop to the next level. This money would enable him to lease a tow truck and make a success out of his business. Please give whatever you can to help Sangho achieve his dream. No amount is too small. Thank you!