BUTUAN CITY – A 62-year-old grandmother from Brgy. Fili, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, has become a source of pride after graduating from senior high school through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) at Fili National High School, despite her age.
According to Juanita Gida , her journey was not easy. She became a widow at the age of 29, and for the past 33 years, she has single-handedly raised her children by doing odd jobs such as farm labor, fetching water, and cleaning houses when offered work.
She shared that it was only after her children got married that she was able to focus on her studies, as she no longer had young kids to look after. She proudly shared that she had completed several ALS programs including business, reflexology, commercial cooking, and now the Technical-Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) Track in Agri-Fishery Arts.
She admitted that while she felt immense joy at finally fulfilling her long-time dream of finishing school, there was also a tinge of sadness because none of her children were able to witness her graduation.
Now that she has finished high school, she hopes to pursue college. However, due to the cost of daily transportation, she said she would instead seek help from ALS officials for capital to start a small business, based on the skills she acquired from the programs she completed.
Because of her success despite her age, she is now encouraging everyone not to let age or life circumstances become a barrier to achieving their dreams.
