Scholarships: Meet Rachelle
February, 2023Rachelle is 19 years old and lives with her mother in Antipolo City, Philippines. Her childhood was challenging – her father struggled with alcohol misuse and was verbally abusive, which sometimes made it difficult for Rachelle to focus on school. She has a sister who lives with their aunt. Three years ago, her parents separated, and her father no longer contributes to the household.
Her mother earns a low income working in a shoe factory, so Rachelle took a job at McDonald’s to help cover household expenses. With limited financial resources, her mother could not afford university or the necessary learning materials. When the scholarship opportunity arose, Rachelle seized it. She chose to study Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship, aiming to gain the skills and experience needed to launch her own agribusiness one day.
“Agriculture in the Philippines is being left behind. There is always a connotation that farmers are inferior, but people don’t realise how much we rely on agriculture. I want to make change and help improve the agriculture sector. I firmly believe everyone deserves nutritious food at affordable prices. Whenever I see children in the streets that are malnourished I am heartbroken. They are my primary inspiration for choosing this course. I have a very simple dream: that the country’s economy will be fair for everyone where no one struggles in meeting their basic needs. I think I can achieve this by working in the field of agriculture.”
– Rachelle
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