An OFW Success story, a product of LSE Re-learn, Re-build, Life is but a journey, make it something inspiring!

Rachelle Magturo, an OFW Success story, a product of LSE

Re-learn, Re-build, Life is but a journey, make it something inspiring!

In the past decades, the Philippines has produced and exported professionally qualified workers in different industries that have obviously helped increased in the revenue for the country’s economy. In return, the government paved ways in support to all Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) around the world. The government’s goal is to ensure that every OFWs are met with the proper treatment and humane work environment, hence safeguarding their satisfaction at work and making them happily-productive Filipino workers abroad.    

For these reasons, The Philippine Overseas Labor Offices(POLO) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration(OWWA) have partnered with different institutions to provide each and every needs of an OFW. As a product, many different programs and projects are being launched every year to satisfy the continuous needs from education, legal, practical, and financial necessities of every Filipino migrant.

One of the best and domineering programs of the Philippine government is the Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Program (LSE) produced and integrated by POLO/OWWA and Ateneo School of Government (ASoG). The program focuses onto an OFW and their immediate family back home. It is designed to equip them with adequate financial knowledge, leading them to be able to make sound-financial decisions. It further enriches the capacity of an OFW to professionally improve himself; seeking greater opportunities to becoming a Social Entrepreneur.

The first batch of Social Entrepreneurs in Macau was the LSE23. Having been completely inspired and equipped-Rachelle Magturo is a product of the LSE Program in Macao. For over eight years, she has worked as an ‘Assistant Production’ in the admin department of a Printing Company. Over the years before getting married, her goals were centered to her family’s growth and welfares only.

Sending her younger siblings to college has caused Rachelle to neglect herself. She then failed to prepare for her future financial needs. Without any savings, she was broke and wasn’t financially free. Rachelle however, satisfied herself seeing her siblings become successful professionals in their fields. Being married, Rachelle believed that her husband’s influences and challenges forced her to learn about finances. His challenge to better her financial standing eventually led her into the Financial Literacy lessons of the LSE program.

The program has widened her perspective about life and money. She further realized her past mistakes which could have been prevented if she has learned the facts before. She then continued and re-built her dreams as she started to learn the value of Investing. Together with her husband, they are now financially free and were able to use their savings to put up a water-refilling station that does not only pay for their daily needs but also provides for their family back in the Philippines.

The program also re-constructed her self-confidence. She related that in the past years of her employment, difficulties and excoriating challenges tested her patience and piety. At times when she felt like giving up, she would tell herself, “calm down, wait and see.” She wanted to give up but every time, she would remember that she has nothing, nowhere to go and was financially incapacitated. LSE has given has helped her rebuild her hopes in the fastest pace. As a result, last July, 2015 she was promoted as a production manager in the company.

Rachelle’s past experiences both with local and foreign people have fueled her strength to move forward and strive. Her neighbors back then, didn’t believe or were unconvinced that she would finish college. Her job experiences weren’t all glamorous and happy. She has worked as a janitor to sustain her studies; she opted to leave her accounting job and became a domestic helper with the belief that her ambitions of going to Canada would come true. However, it didn’t turn out the way she dreamt it to be. Instead, she found herself being ripped-off her human rights.

As she went back home, another opportunity to work abroad knocked her door in 2007 when she worked at an agency that deployed Filipinos to work in Macao. Since then, she has been living and working in Macao S.A.R.

At present, she is currently in decision whether to go back in the Philippines for good, start a family of her own and manage her water-refilling business or bring her husband to work in Macao instead. Either way, she is in the best time to of her life because she was able to manage her financial aspect in order to manipulate the rest of the factors in her life.

Listening to Rachelle’s life story, I remember a verse from the Bible when the Lord says, “I will make you wise. I will show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8) It’s a breath of relief, isn’t? A promise and assurance from our Creator, Himself to those who trust in Him. Rachelle’s life story is another OFW story that manifests one’s faith and obedience to God.

As the late, Steve Jobs once remarked, “We can only connect the dots looking backward.” The dots are the stages of life, looking back; we can understand their purposes and how they’ve contributed making and building the one we call “YOU”. May we all find motivations to keep learning and improving ourselves. Let us take advantage of all government programs dedicated to us OFWs. We are loved, we are cared for, we can be satisfied and we can be re-united with our families back home-it is with us when and how long do we want to achieve Freedom!