Helen Mata Adducul, a long-time Filipina nanny, was recently honored as the ‘Household Manager of the Year’ for her loyalty and hard work. However, her greatest achievement was being able to send all seven of her children to school through years of dedication.
Her children have pursued various professions, with one becoming a lawyer, another a civil engineer, and others choosing careers as a teacher, accountant, agriculturist, architect, and doctor (the latter two are still studying). This success story reflects the aspirations of many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who are often considered modern-day heroes for leaving their homes to secure their families’ futures. Working abroad is not a choice but a necessity for their families’ well-being.
For mothers like Adducul, who have to leave their own children behind to work abroad and care for another family, the sacrifices and pain are even greater. However, all those years of hard work and being away from their loved ones become worthwhile when their children graduate from college, when they acquire a small piece of land or a house, or when they establish a micro-business that supports a decent living.
