After graduating from high school, Maricar Gutierrez stood at a crossroads that many young Filipinos face: should she start working immediately to help her parents, or should she follow her heart and pursue a college degree?

The financial weight on her family was heavy, but Maricar chose to pray. She trusted that if she was meant to finish school, a way would be provided. That “way” came through a friend and a teacher who introduced her to Real LIFE Lipa.

Silencing the noise of doubt

Choosing to study didn’t mean the path became easy. Maricar faced a lot of discouragement. Many people around her doubted she could do it, whispering that she was aiming too high for their situation.

But the biggest challenge wasn’t just the words of others, it was the lack of a roof over her head. While Maricar was studying, her family didn’t have a permanent residence. They moved between rented rooms and relied on the hospitality of relatives just to have a place to sleep.

The promise of stability

During those years of moving from one house to another, Maricar’s coaches and mentors at Real LIFE became her anchor. They didn’t just help her with her academics; they fueled her hope. They would often tell her, “Soon, you won’t have to move anymore. After college, you’ll have a stable home of your own.”

That promise kept her going through the long nights and the uncertainty of where they would live next.

No more moving days

Today, the search for a place to stay is finally over. After graduating in 2019 and landing a job to support her family, Maricar’s perseverance finally paid off.

The days of relying on relatives or jumping between rented houses are gone. Maricar and her family now enjoy the sense of permanence and security that comes with having a home they can truly call their own. For Maricar, the degree she worked so hard for didn’t just give her a career, it gave her family the stability they had been praying for for years.

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How you can help

Maricar’s story shows us that poverty isn’t just about the lack of money; it’s about the lack of security. When you support a scholar, you are helping them build a foundation for a stable future.

• Build a Future: Your partnership helps students in Lipa and beyond finish their degrees and break the cycle of poverty.
• Give Hope: Every donation goes toward educational assistance and leadership development for our scholars.