When Opportunities and Dreams Meet

ANNETE DEL ROSARIO

Two weeks ago, the most wonderful e-mail popped into my inbox. It was a letter from Rina, one of our scholars at the School for Experiential and Entrepreneurship Development (SEED). She was writing to say that she had been admitted to a one-year master in science program on Sustainability Transformation at the ESSEC Business School, France—quite a journey for a young girl who had lived her entire life in a small town in Bulacan and who came from a family of eight with little means.

In her e-mail, she reminded us of her amazing story. Eight years ago, she had been scouted by our campus recruiters, who could see that 16-year-old Rina wanted more out of life. After graduating near the top of SEED’s pioneering class, Rina was offered a full scholarship to ESSEC on the Singapore campus. Following graduation, she landed a job as a financial analyst in Singapore. She then applied for further studies at ESSEC, for which she now joyfully wrote us that she had been accepted. 

With hope as her compass and the education provided by SEED, Rina’s improbable journey continues to take her in directions none of us could ever have imagined. 

For a simple family like Rina’s, the idea that their children could access quality education might seem as remote as a trip to the moon. Although public schools in the Philippines are free, many suffer from chronic underfunding, making it impossible for students to learn basic literacy or numeracy skills. The pandemic has only made matters worse, exacerbating barriers to education for children in poor communities. 

Through SEED, a TESDA-accredited school focused on rural development and raising a new generation of agri-entrepreneurs, we have stepped into the breach, providing young people like Rina access not just to quality education but renewed hope that their lives might somehow turn out differently. Our curriculum focuses equally on character development, practical skills, and learning grounded in shared values and a commitment to a world beyond poverty and injustice.

As happy as I was to catch up on Rina’s news, something in her letter stood out to me. Rina referred to herself as a nation builder. I don’t know too many 18-year-olds who would say this with conviction. Yet becoming a nation builder is precisely the compelling vision that SEED has held out to our students. Mark Cruz, our campus director, says, “Our ultimate goal is to teach next-generation leaders who can end poverty not just for themselves and their families but for their communities too.”

SEED equips our students with the skills to become successful entrepreneurs but also inspires our students to bring positive change to a more significant cause. SEED makes heroes and patriots out of the young, many of whom you wouldn’t blame for feeling that hope was absent in their lives. At SEED, hope and opportunity come together in an environment of sharing and caring. 

In journeying with SEED as a member of its board of directors, I’ve witnessed firsthand stories of transformation and upliftment. As a SEED “Tita” (big sister), I hope I’ve been an instrument to uplift the lives of others—whether it’s to listen and guide anyone in need of advice or to offer a place to stay for the night.

As I’ve grown older, both in years and in my faith, my interest and passion for working with groups like SEED and Gawad Kalinga have grown.

If there is one bible verse I strive to remember and live by, it is this: “To whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). The longer I’ve worked with our wonderful mentors in SEED, the more I’ve come to realize what a privilege it is to be able to give to others and serve others. 

Through SEED, we are giving our scholars new seeds of hope. And that is no small gift because having hope is so essential to the very act of being!

In these last six years, we have multiplied the number of Rinas in this world. While it’s unlikely everyone will end up in Paris as she has, most SEED graduates can now visualize a better future. It all starts with hope and the belief that change is possible.