Achievement unlocked.” This is one of the favourite phrases from Fidelisa Sarol Delima, an Uplifters’ alumni and a mother to four sons. She has been working in Hong Kong for the past eight years.
“Growing up in a poor family, I thought it was impossible for me to achieve my dreams. I wanted to finish my studies but I was not able to do so due to our circumstances. I decided to work abroad to provide a better future for my children. As a mother, my focus was only on my family, I have always put myself last. I felt empty inside and I didn’t have a clear direction in life. My attitude was always to go with the flow. I was content with sending money to my family back home, helping my siblings and paying for my children’s school fees.
Uplifters changed my life. The Dare to Dream course enlightened me and made me realize the value of taking care of myself. I am happier now because I learned that by looking after myself, I am helping myself and others as well. I learned how to budget and save money. I started to think about my goals and made plans on how I can achieve them. I studied every lesson in the course and applied it in my daily life. As a result, I was able to build a dream house in the Philippines. I am also grateful to have loving and responsible children. Three of them have already graduated from college.
Now I’m taking care of myself by learning new things and adding to my skills and knowledge. I love studying. I took caregiving, cooking and first aid courses. I have recently started taking guitar lessons too.
My advice to my fellow migrant domestic workers is to be strong like the coconut tree, in spite of the difficulties you may face in life. Never stop learning. Never stop dreaming.”
