Bridges to better lives

As graduation season sweeps across the country, thousands of young Filipinos are stepping off the stage and into a world filled with hope, uncertainty, and possibility.

- JAIME ARISTOTLE B. ALIP, PHD

Some are chasing dreams in the cities. Others are weighing offers or waiting for doors to open. But for those seeking not just a job but a purpose - there is a quiet but powerful path worth considering: the world of inclusive finance.

Across the Philippines, ordinary individuals are doing extraordinary work connecting with rural communities, helping families rise from poverty, and empowering women to build livelihoods. They are microfinance workers people like Sheila, Khristian, Ricson, and Jaya, whose journeys remind us of everyone's potential to change people's lives.

A leap of faith

At 33, Sheila Mae Jolero of Bacolod City never imagined she'd find purpose in her job. After bouncing between short-term cashier jobs, she was invited by her cousin to apply at Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF), where she began her journey as a loan officer in 2012.

From riding horses to reach far-flung areas, to conducting meetings in dialects she barely understood, Sheila embraced the unfamiliar. What inspired her most were the clients themselves: women in remote areas who never missed a payment, despite life's challenges. "They're more responsible, more committed-even if they live at the edge of the mountains," she shares.

Thirteen years later, Sheila has not only built a stable career, but also her own small business. "I'm so blessed," she says. "This job gave me the chance to help others and grow myself."

Coming home to serve