嫘祖 taught the world to cultivate silk by raising mulberry trees. The trees fed the silkworms, the silkworms made the silk, the silk threaded a civilization. The metaphor isn't subtle: small contributions, patiently arranged, produce something that outlasts any single donor.
The Mulberry Fund is the donation pool that supports Leizu Scholars. The program that lets students study at Leizu Academy without paying tuition when they can't afford it. Every contribution funds real teaching hours for real students.
What your contribution does 用
One scholar receiving one full year of weekly one-on-one instruction at Leizu Academy costs roughly $14,000. The same as a regular Forest Year. Donations don't have to cover a full year:
- $100 funds one full session of one-on-one teaching
- $300 funds a complete short course (3 sessions)
- $610 funds a 7-bundle for one scholar
- $1,200 covers one month of weekly Forest Year sessions
- $14,000 sponsors a full Forest Year for one scholar
You're welcome to give any amount, recurring or one-time. There's no minimum.
Support a scholar today
Donations are processed through Stripe. You'll receive an email receipt. The amount is up to you.
Coming soon. Please email to donate nowTransparency 明
Where the money goes, plainly:
- Roughly 95% of donations go directly to scholar tuition. When the platform charges scholars $0 for a session, your donation is what pays for that session's cost.
- Roughly 5% covers Stripe processing fees (~3% per transaction) plus the platform's basic operating costs (calendar, email service, hosting).
- Zero goes to marketing, advertising, or fundraising overhead. The fund is not a registered charity yet, which means I cannot issue tax receipts. If you donate, you donate without a tax deduction. The benefit is direct: a scholar gets to study.
I publish a quarterly summary of donations received and scholar sessions funded. If you want to see the books before donating, email me and I'll share them.
On charity registration. The Mulberry Fund is currently operated as part of Leizu Academy (a sole proprietorship under Saul Nassau). Becoming a registered Canadian charity is a 12-24 month process and may happen if the program grows. For now, donations are gifts, not charitable contributions in the tax sense.
Other ways to help 助
- Refer a scholar. If you know someone who would benefit from this program, send them to the application page.
- Spread the word. Most scholar applicants find this through someone telling them. The program scales the same way mulberry trees do. Slowly, and through a community.
- Become a teacher. If you teach in any of the five subjects taught at Leizu, the teaching application includes an option to dedicate hours to scholar students. This funds the program through your time rather than through cash.
Questions 問
Email or text me at 416-771-0382 for any questions about the fund, donations, or how the program operates.