In the quiet town of Castillejos, Zambales, a young Aeta woman is proving that no dream is too far when faith and perseverance come together.
Her name is Rodaly. The eldest of three siblings, she is the first in her family to ever set foot in college. Her father works as a welder, earning only ₱4,000 a month, or roughly USD 68. It’s barely enough for food, bills, and daily needs. But in their humble home, Rodaly dared to dream bigger.
“I always wanted to be a businesswoman,” she says softly, “not just for myself, but to help my family and serve my community too.”
There were moments when that dream seemed impossible. “It was really hard because only my father was working,” she recalls. “I kept wondering, can my parents really afford to send me to school?”
But in May 2024, a blessing arrived just in time. Rodaly was chosen as one of the scholars of Operation Blessing’s Back-to-School Project, which supports students who have the heart but lack the means to continue their education. The scholarship provides school supplies and a monthly allowance, enough to cover transportation, projects, and even internet load for her hybrid classes.
Now a second-year BSBA major in Human Resource Management student, Rodaly is thriving. “It really lessened our financial burden,” she says. “It truly helps with my school needs. My parents no longer worry about me.”
And it shows. From being a shy student, Rodaly has grown into a confident leader. She now serves as an officer in her school’s Student Body and recently placed third in their Tawag ng Tanghalan singing contest during Linggo ng Wika.
Her transformation is not just academic. It’s a story of faith, gratitude, and the power of giving. “God really made a way,” Rodaly says with a smile. “He used Operation Blessing to help me continue my studies.”
For Operation Blessing, stories like Rodaly’s are what keep the mission alive: to build futures, restore hope, and remind every student that poverty should never be the end of their story.
Because when generosity meets determination, miracles happen. And in the hills of Zambales, a young woman named Rodaly is living proof.
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