"I started from nothing" - and became a leader in college and beyond

"LEADERSHIP is not a POSITION; it is a VISION with ACTION." These words were spoken by Regine Aguilar when she was in her 3rd year of college.

In 2013, BELIEVE volunteers from the USA visited the Philippines and met with Regine and the other BELIEVE scholars in the area where she lived. After the meeting, she was asked what she thought about the BELIEVE program. This was her unrehearsed response.

Regine grew up in poverty

She came from a very poor, broken family that could not support her education. Fortunately, she received a BELIEVE scholarship because she attended a BELIEVE partner high school.

This is a photo of her at home, in the "kitchen" where they cook the meals.

A BELIEVE college scholarship

Regine is a multi-talented person, and when she went on to college, thanks to her BELIEVE college scholarship, she excelled at everything she did. She became an extraordinary student leader in a number of organizations, as shown in this document.

Graduated from college

Post graduation

After graduating from college Regine was hired as a teacher in a nearby school. and also began serving as a BELIEVE volunteer at the high school where she graduated, something she is still involved in many years later.

This is a photo of the BELIEVE volunteers at that school. The middle three are teachers at the school. Regine is on the left, and on the right is Mark Silva, another graduate of that high school who went on to college with a BELIEVE scholarship and is now a practicing electrical engineer.

Regine kept her promise - she continues to mentor the students she teaches serves as a BELIEVE volunteer in her old high school, in addition to playing the role of mother to her younger siblings, shown here.

Marriage, mother - and still a BELIEVE volunteer

Regine is now married, has a child, continues to care for her siblings, works as a teacher and is still a BELIEVE volunteer at the high school where she graduated so many years ago.