Today meet our Diamond Team Leader, Maria Cristina Eugenio or M’jay as she is fondly called.

Team Leaders are Uplifters alumni supporting new students throughout their online courses.

M’jay is from the province of Pangasinan in the Philippines. She has been working in Singapore since 2001.

Get to know her more in this interview:

“I am the eldest among 5 siblings. We did not come from a privileged family, life was tough. I got married at an early age and did not get along with my estranged husband. I decided to work abroad because I thought it was much better than working in my homeland where a basic salary was not enough to put food on the table. I kept on wondering what kind of future awaited me! I am blessed to have a 22-year-old son. He is an aircraft mechanic and I am so proud of him. My son is my pride and inspiration.

In my free time, I love writing recipes and reading books. They help me to destress and relax. I am grateful to a friend of mine who influenced me to read the “Power of Reading.” Since then, collecting books became my hobby. Robert T. Kiyosaki really inspired me with his book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” I was so amazed by his explanation of how money works for the rich, poor and the middle class. He was the reason why I fully understood how investments work.

Improving and enhancing myself is important to me. I took some courses before as I wanted to prove that I have something to be proud of. A friend of mine introduced Uplifters to me and I decided to try it. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Uplifters shaped me into who I am today. It taught me the value of today and the benefits of tomorrow. Uplifters taught me the formula of life and how to slow down and appreciate life. It taught me how to differentiate the power of a dreamer and how to make your dreams happen. Because of that, I have a clear vision of the finish line that I want to reach and I am taking steps to achieve it. I am saving for my emergency fund and investing at the same time. I am also looking for a great opportunity to buy property in the Philippines.

I love being a team leader as I can see the potential of each of my students. I am happy when they seize a great opportunity to grow and learn. Seeing them get their certificates after they finished the course has been rewarding to me as well. I feel I made an impact when they say they have become a better version of themselves. I became a living instrument to change one’s life. That’s all that matters to me as a team leader. I’m happy that I have become closer to my Dare to Dream batch. We’ve developed a strong bond with each other. We take time to catch up, share ideas and join workshops if we have the chance.

My greatest advice to my fellow domestic workers is to educate yourself about financial literacy while you are still young. Teach your family how to manage money wisely. Save as much as you can. What matters is how much you save, not how much you earn. As Uplifters taught us, do things that your future self will thank you for.”