By ERICKA MARGARET CAMUA

LIFE was fairly okay for me in my younger years as I breezed through elementary and high school. I started college in 2018, taking up Medical Technology— said to be a financially lucrative field.

So, I imagined that in a matter of four years, I would graduate and then have a good-paying job.

But then a blow struck our family, dashing my hope of ever finishing college.

My father was diagnosed with leukemia. My mother promptly took care of him as he underwent chemotherapy.

While my parents were practically living in the hospital, I lived alone, doing household chores on my own—cooking, doing laundry, juggling the bills.

And in between, struggling with my studies, which I almost gave up on, as our finances dwindled.

Then, great relief! My aunt, Tita. Maricel, and her mom, Nanay Inday, happened to be serving in a parish church– where they heard about the Pag-asa ng Pamilya Foundation. Knowing my situation, they helped me get a scholarship grant.

The Pag-asa scholarship enabled me to buy the expensive materials required for my Med Tech course— plus the additional expense of continuing my studies online, as the Coronavirus Disease (COVID) Pandemic wreaked havoc worldwide, imposing lockdowns or quarantines to curb the spread of this deadly disease.

Pag-asa kept my hopes high as I heard stories of scholars successfully finishing their courses —inspiring me to push on with my class workload amid this devastation.

So, now, as you see, I am already wearing my graduation robe. I am all smiles, as I look forward to being a Pag-asa supporter—yes, to inspire those who, like me before, may already be giving up on having a good education.

Hey, classmates in life, there is hope.