A young woman from Kampala, Uganda — stopped at the Istanbul airport on her way to start her Master's degree — and the people rallying to help her get there.
The most powerful thing is getting this in front of the right people — especially anyone with ties to SLU, immigration law, or CDC travel policy.
Send money straight to Afusa via mobile money. Every bit helps with travel, living costs, and anything she needs right now.
Have a connection, a legal angle, or an idea we haven't thought of? Both Anatoli and Afusa will receive your message directly.
On Monday, May 18th, I was stuck in the Istanbul airport due to a small but growing Ebola outbreak in Uganda, where I had recently been. While there, my group and I met Afusa — a lovely woman from Kampala who was on her way to St. Louis University to start her Master's in Health Data Science.
She had been planning this program for a year. Her course was set to start on May 19th. Her American visa was very difficult to obtain, delaying her ability to arrive early — and when we met, she was discussing having to return to Uganda and try again in the fall or even the following year.
This is her first time going to the states. She's put in the work, done all of the right things, and her ability to start the program is being compromised through no fault of her own.
People are already working on solutions — but awareness and the right connections can make all the difference. If you have an idea or a contact that could help, please reach out.
She made it.
After more than two months of airports, travel bans, a bus ride across East Africa, and more closed doors than anyone should have to face, Afusa arrived in the United States. She's in St. Louis and walked around the SLU campus on Sunday.
She's there. She did it.
Two things she could use help with right now:
Housing in St. Louis — she's currently at a hotel and looking for something affordable: a cheap room, a shared space, anything in the area. If you're in St. Louis or know someone who is, please reach out.
Financial aid connections at SLU — she's still working on tuition and is specifically looking for connections within the Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research and the Master's of Health Data Science program who can help point her toward funding or scholarships.
If you can help with either, now is the time.
On Monday morning, stuck in Istanbul's airport due to an Ebola travel restriction following a trip to Uganda, my group met Afusa — a woman from Kampala on her way to start her Master's in Health Data Science at St. Louis University. Her program was set to begin May 19th.
She had spent a year working toward this, navigated a difficult visa process, and was now at risk of missing her start date entirely — and potentially having to defer until fall or the following year. The ask was simple: does anyone have contacts at SLU who can help?
The story is out. Share it widely — every connection helps.
Thank you immensely to everyone who helped out. We're getting somewhere.
Afusa has received tons of support via phone calls, WhatsApp messages, and emails — including from DPC doctors with similar backgrounds and people who live or work in the region. The school faculty and staff are also working to find a way in. It appears there are some U.S. airports she may be able to fly into, and they're working on that.
I'm no longer in Istanbul, but from what I understand, she has what she needs and is taking everything in stride.
The CDC has now issued a formal 30-day travel ban for travelers in Afusa's situation — see the Politico article on the new CDC travel restrictions.
However, Afusa's case seems to fit outside the norm: she was already almost in the states when she was stopped, and her actual exposure to Ebola and likelihood of carrying it are extremely low.
Here's where things stand and what's being explored:
Stay tuned. Your help and support mean so much!
Just spoke with Afusa. She is still in the airport — she's had water but hasn't eaten much. She has been in active contact with people from SLU, the Ugandan Embassy, and airport and airline personnel. Everyone is working to figure out the best path forward — the situation is complex and evolving.
On a hopeful note: she received her first donation through this site. Every bit of support — financial, practical, or just spreading the word — is making a difference.
This website was built to move her story off of Facebook and LinkedIn and onto a platform built for real storytelling — so we can follow along together as things unfold. Keep checking back for updates, and keep sharing.
After just under a week living in Istanbul's airport, Afusa has returned to Uganda.
The path here was anything but straightforward. Several days into the ordeal — at a point when Turkish Airlines was well aware of the travel restrictions in place — she purchased a ticket to the United States. She was allowed to board, then removed from the plane, and subsequently denied a refund on the grounds that she should have known she wasn't permitted to travel. The airline knew. She lost that money regardless.
Despite all of this, she is still in good spirits and still moving forward.
Her plan: begin her Master's program at SLU remotely from Uganda, then make her way to Rwanda — where the current Ebola situation is less severe — wait out the required quarantine period, and fly to the US from there.
Afusa has decided to travel to Kenya — with more countries placing travel restrictions on people coming from Uganda, she'll head there and stay through mid-July before departing for the US. Her immediate need is housing for that stretch, estimated at around $1,200.
The housing need is resolved — supporters came through. Afusa is preparing to make the trip.
At the same time, a new and harder challenge has surfaced: the student loan she had lined up fell through when she had to defer from Summer to Fall, and Uganda has been removed from the eligibility lists of international student lenders. Every alternative she's found has hit the same wall.
Afusa has arrived in Kenya. She traveled by bus from Uganda and is now in position to fly to the US once the path is clear.
She made it.
After more than two months of airports, travel bans, a bus ride across East Africa, and more closed doors than anyone should have to face, Afusa arrived in the United States. She's in St. Louis and walked around the SLU campus on Sunday.
She's there. She did it.
Housing in St. Louis — she's currently at a hotel and looking for something affordable: a cheap room, a shared space, anything in the area. If you're in St. Louis or know someone who is, please reach out.
Financial aid connections at SLU — she's still working on tuition and is specifically looking for connections within the Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research and the Master's of Health Data Science program who can help point her toward funding or scholarships.
If you can help with either, now is the time.
Afusa is beginning her Master's program at SLU remotely from Uganda while the travel situation resolves.
Afusa traveled to Kenya by bus and arrived on July 4. Housing was covered by supporters. She then flew to the US and arrived in St. Louis.
Afusa is currently at a hotel and looking for something affordable near SLU — a cheap room or shared space. If you're in St. Louis or know someone who is, please reach out.
With international student lenders having removed Uganda from their eligibility lists, Afusa's original loan fell through. She's looking for connections in SLU's Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research or Health Data Science program who can help point her toward funding or scholarships.
Turkish Airlines denied a refund on a ticket purchased several days into the situation — after the airline was fully aware of the travel restrictions. She lost that money.
No longer being actively pursued given the current plan to relocate to Kenya before flying to the US.
Suggested: $50–$200 — helps with living expenses as she gets settled in St. Louis
Note: your bank will deduct a transfer fee (typically $25–45) before funds arrive.
Have a contact at SLU, experience with CDC travel exceptions, immigration law expertise, or any other idea? Share it below — your message goes directly to both Anatoli and Afusa.
The most powerful thing is getting this in front of the right people — especially anyone with ties to SLU, immigration law, or CDC travel policy.
Send money straight to Afusa via international wire transfer. Every bit helps with travel, living costs, and anything she needs right now.
Have a connection, a legal angle, or an idea we haven't thought of? Both Anatoli and Afusa will receive your message directly.