Life in East Malaysia was hard, especially for me and my siblings, who were “undocumented aliens” there, and thus not entitled to state schooling. I had been born in a part of the Philippines where there was much civil strife, but brought at age 9 to East Malaysia by my parents, who went to seek work and a peaceful life.
For many years I envied the children in my village going to school every day in their uniforms and with their schoolbags. Life became brighter when Goducate volunteers from the Philippines arrived in our village. They taught mothers to teach literacy and numeracy, and later established a schoolhouse in our neighborhood. I was among the excited unschooled children who rushed to the schoolhouse. I studied there for two years before being given the privilege to join the teaching-facilitators training and becoming volunteer assistant teacher, helping to teach literacy to other children. I am so grateful to Goducate, for bringing us hope, teaching us to love education, and encouraging us to pursue our dreams in life.
In 2014, although it was hard to be separated from my parents, I decided to go to the Philippines to pursue my studies.
In the Philippines, Goducate Training Center (Iloilo) helped me to enroll in the Alternative Learning System. In 2015, I passed the examination that gained me admission to the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College in Lemery, Iloilo, where I studied Hotel and Restaurant Management (see https://www.goducate.org/goducate-student-from-east-malaysia-enters-university-in-philippines.html).
While doing this course, I also did some Goducate community work. Participating in Goducate’s Health Information Drive, I visited families and communities, taking and monitoring blood pressures, as well as sharing with people the nutritional benefits of Malunggay (Moringa). This community work has blessed me with confidence in dealing with and adjusting easily to people.
I faced many struggles, but I survived and adjusted well with the help of my parents and Goducate people. Goducate’s tagline is Helping Asians Help Themselves, and it has challenged me to help people regardless of who they are.
I was very pleased to receive a special award for “Best in On the Job Training”. And April 2, 2019, was a very memorable day for me. As I went up on stage to receive my Diploma, I was thankful to all who supported and encouraged me to pursue my dream. I thought of that village in East Malaysia, which challenged me to be an inspiration to other children and youth so that they too can dream and pursue their dream.
I am now working in a famous megamall in Iloilo and earning a stable income. As a wage earner, I am doing my best to help my family out of poverty and to ensure that my siblings will also finish their education.
*Our guest writer is Angelica Amodia. She was a Goducate scholar. Goducate scholars are deserving students who receive some financial help from Goducate for their tertiary education in the Philippines.
