IMPACT AUGUST 2015
Unbound alumna and civil engineer Rechelle pauses for a photo on the job site of the new Antipolo community building.
C RE ATING OPPORTUNITY
ENGINEER BUILDS ‘A FOUNDATION TO HELP PEOPLE’
S
he remembers days as a college stu-
engineering from the Western Institute
dent when all she had to eat was one
of Technology in Iloilo.
boiled egg — cut in thirds for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was in those days, especially, that Rechelle Reaño relied on her faith.
It took a lot of hard work and sacrifice to get through five years of an engineering program. A scholarship from Unbound helped but her road wasn’t
“My motto is ‘God is good all the time,’”
easy. She had few advantages beyond
she said in an interview earlier this year.
her exceptional math skills and the sup-
“He didn’t leave me through my suffer-
port from her sponsor and scholarship.
ings, and I graduated.”
People from her neighborhood told her
Rechelle is 24 years old and from the
she wouldn’t make it because engineering
Visayas region of the Philippines. She
school is expensive. Her parents couldn’t
was sponsored for 11 years through
help with four other children to support.
Unbound’s Antipolo program, and in
Rechelle tutored math students at a
2013 earned a bachelor’s degree in civil
(continued)
Rechelle (left) stands with staff, alumni and board members at a groundbreaking for the Antipolo center.
BACK TO SCHOOL
GREETINGS FROM ABROAD
Unbound helps sponsored students achieve a level of education that prepares them to compete with their peers for jobs. Sponsored members are no longer at a disadvantage educationally in their communities and, as they leave the Unbound program, are better equipped to create paths out of poverty. (See graphic on back.)
Sponsored friends love getting letters from their sponsors. Make your sponsored friend’s day with a letter by taking advantage of the $1.20 USPS Global Forever Stamp. Or you can send an eLetter at no cost by visiting unbound.org/eLetter.
The newly built Antipolo center arose from a community effort.
NO LONGER left behind
75
%
OF CHILDREN SPONSORED THROUGH UNBOUND ARE REACHING EDUCATIONAL LEVELS COMPARABLE TO OR BETTER THAN THEIR IN-COUNTRY PEERS.* For example, despite considerable economic disadvantages, students in Unbound’s Legazpi program in the Philippines continue with education past high school at a rate of 31% , surpassing the national average. This puts them in a good position to compete in a challenging job market.
31%
LEGAZPI
Building provides a space to dream (continued from front) nearby university to earn money. Still,
with others from the local community.
there were times she barely had enough
lent their expertise to the project.
to pay her bills, especially when extra expenses such as exam fees cropped up. Now that she’s out of school and a
consultation with the Antipolo team, and supervised the final phase of con-
days building safe, environmentally sound
struction. Engineer Jason Chu visited the
and aesthetically pleasing structures for
project site after his work day to help in
people to live and work in. She’s focused
the construction, and electrical engineer
on helping her family, too. She doesn’t
Apple Anibo supervised the electrical
want her siblings to have to go through the
plan and installation.
same struggles she experienced, so she’s helping put them through school.
Antipolo coordinator Malou Navio said the building project was the result of years
She also put her talents to work for the
of planning and laying the groundwork for
Unbound community, working as project
a center where sponsored children, elders,
manager on a new office space and com-
families and staff can dream and work
munity center for the Antipolo program.
together now and in generations to come.
“This structure will be a gift and an opportunity for us to build a center for the
“We also have our great alumni who will help us fulfill our dream,” Malou said.
servant and the people we serve,” Rech-
As Rechelle helped build a new home for
elle said during the construction. “This is
Unbound–Antipolo, her desire to someday
a foundation to help people. This will be a
build a safe, comfortable home for her
home for all of us.”
family was never far from her mind. Her
acknowledged
the
project
was a big job for someone beginning her
parents lost their home when Typhoon Haiyan hit in November 2013.
career, but she remained confident in her
“I pray that I will be blessed in my career
abilities. She drew strength from the Anti-
so I can save and build a good home for my
polo staff, especially when problems arose
family,” Rechelle said.
on the job site.
Rechelle also wants to help others
“I feel loved by them,” Rechelle said. “They teach me not to give up, how to have patience, how to love others.”
*2013 Unbound survey
Architect Daryl Jude Secapuri did the architectural design of the building, in
licensed civil engineer, Rechelle spends her
Rechelle
the PHILIPPINES
Several Antipolo alumni besides Rechelle
beyond her family, just as she was helped in the sponsorship program. Being sponsored, she said, taught her to
The building project was a community
“love the community outside,” and that
effort. Fathers of sponsored children were
happiness can be found in helping others
employed as construction workers, along
“because nobody is an island.”
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