A Fresh Start

Hi, my name is Guthrie Ward; Gus to everyone that knows me.

I’ve just recently arrived (19/01/2018) in Ireland as an asylum seeker from the turmoil that is currently plaguing South Africa. While my story isn’t unique, with others having a far more difficult time than myself, it’s none-the-less heartbreaking that I had to up and leave my home country with the hope to build a better life for myself elsewhere.

Wow, this is one of the hardest things I have ever had to write.

In August 2016 I found myself unemployed. Because of the stringent laws in South Africa that prevented me from finding employment, my savings slowly dwindled until I found myself homeless and living out of my car. I’m now 45 years old, in a foreign country, waiting to be told if I’m allowed to stay; which could take years; with very little to do other than keep my own company. While the Irish government have been great in accommodating my basic needs, I am unable to seek employment within the first 9 months of my asylum application. After which I must apply to seek work or start my own business, or until my application has been approved which could take years. I don’t want to sit around doing nothing, so I’ve signed up for a photography class at the Garter Lane Art Centre. Which I hope to turn into a business. With GoGetFunded, and in turn your help, I’ll will be able to do just that.

The money I hope to raise here will allow me to literally start over again. I’ll be able to buy a desk and chair, a prosumer camera with lenses, a computer/laptop and software that will allow me to edit photos and video. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t be asking for help. But I arrived in Ireland with a suitcase of cloths and little else. I had to sell what I had, and leave what I couldn’t sell behind, just to get to Ireland. My photography business will focus primarily on Irish landscapes and scenery, until I’m allowed to travel. I hope to cultivate a relationship with local printers to design wall décor that can be shipped to customers worldwide. And in so doing, I will be able to prove to the Irish government that I’m capable of looking after myself despite the hardships I faced in South Africa.

Thank you so much for your generosity, it’s very much appreciated.