Meet Margarita. Her childhood was marked by her mother leaving when she was 5 years old and her father dying 10 years later because of an alcohol addiction. Living in extreme poverty is depressing and alcohol offers temporary escape from the pain. Margarita and her brother lived with her grandmother at this time, but did not have many opportunities. They didn’t have money to pay for high school fees and felt trapped in their situation. The brokenness of their family brough Margarita and her brother together as they made a plan to leave for the big city.
Margarita could not bear to live the same life as her parents and longed for more opportunities. Her and her brother made the big move to Manila where they found jobs to support themselves. She was a maid for an American family in the mornings and would go to school in the afternoon. She even worked odd restaurant jobs to cover her meals and lower expenses. Each day was very full, but she was proud to be making a way for herself.
Eventually she had children of her own and could not keep up with all the pressures. Margarita did not want her children to struggle like she had, so she made up her mind to find a job closer to home. That was when she remembered Dignity. The company started when she was in high school and had grown to have many employees. She dreamed of finding a job there and the peace that would give her family.
When she was accepted into a role she finally felt free. She had spent so long chasing jobs, education, money for food, and provision. Now, she could wake up content and ready for the day. She is now a working mother attending school while also caring for her two children– helping to break the cycle of poverty and broken families. Margarita did not allow the sadness of her past to weigh her down, but she was determined to keep pursuing her dreams and caring for her children. Eventually, she hopes to become a teacher, and with the support of Dignity and her community she knows she is capable.
