Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo looked back on her past difficulties to inspire and motivate students who are struggling today.
The beauty queen shared online how her student life was weighed down by limitations.
“When I was in elementary, I did not have much. I remember, I only had 5 pesos as my baon back then. I only had 2 notebooks for my 8 subjects. I used the same shoes from grade 4 to 6.
“I had no laptop, no internet access, and there were moments I even needed to go to my classmate’s house to borrow crayons and materials,” she said.
Despite all this, she was happy studying and doing all the work. She then promised herself that when she becomes successful, she would give back to those who are walking the same path as she did.
After being appointed as Miss Universe Philippines’ ambassador for education, she set out her goal to visit different schools in the country to offer all the help she can give.
Her first recipient was Zaragosa Integrated School in Badian Island in Cebu.
“Many students need to walk 45 mins to an hour just to get there. These kids have big dreams for themselves and their families. You can see the drive to succeed in their eyes,” she shared.
Thanks to the generous donors of her cause, they were able to give out 150 pairs of slippers and educational materials to the children of Zaragosa Integrated School.
