Why subscribe?
Reason #1: Some guaranteed good news every month.
The news these days can be oppressively heavy and depressing. But The College Dream newsletter will provide your inbox with a little bit of sunshine each month. You will follow alongside Adama's journey and experience firsthand the power of education and perseverance.
Reason #2: Make the good news happen.
This newsletter will always remain 100% free — no paywalls, ever. However, if you'd like to actively support Adama’s education, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your subscription doesn't just mean you're reading Adama’s story; it means you’re becoming part of it. 100% of all subscription contributions directly support Adama’s educational journey.
Reason #3: This is a donor-supported newsletter.
Your generosity makes stories like Adama's possible. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey!
Meet Adama & Ashleigh
Adama Jarju was born in The Gambia, one of the poorest countries in the world. One of six children, he always carried a secret dream of one day earning a bachelor's degree from an American college, knowing it would dramatically change his life and the life of his family.
Ashleigh met Adama in 2008 when she traveled to The Gambia to be a volunteer English teacher for several months. She distinctly remembers his energy and enthusiasm in the classroom. He was dedicated to his studies and meticulous in his work, while also bringing a liveliness to the classroom that everyone enjoyed. He was a delight to teach, and she has watched him grow into a young man with an unquenchable thirst for learning.
In 2015, after graduating from high school, Adama reached out to Ashleigh for help in making his college dream come true. It took them almost a decade to secure his place on an American college campus, but he finally made it.
As of September 2024, Adama is pursuing a computer science degree at Temple University Japan in Tokyo!
Learn more about his grueling nine-year battle to get to college, and see Tokyo through his eyes as he experiences college — and life outside The Gambia — for the very first time.
