Rice field to classroom: The grains of success

In this world where everybody wants to be like Bill Gates who owns Microsoft, Jeff Bezos who owns Amazon, and Mark Zuckerberg who owns Facebook, dreaming is an important aspect to achieve what you want in life.

In the midst of a blistering sun in the rice field of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), there was a man who blissfully appreciated his minimum wage as a contractual farmer. “At that time, earning 300 pesos makes me feel happy already,” he said while reminiscing the times when such amount is already enough to support his family.

He is Mark Anthony M. Mamiit, 26 years old from Sto. Domingo, Bay, Laguna. He is the eldest of his six siblings and considered as the breadwinner of the family.

Earning a degree

Because of life’s difficulty, going to college is quite hard for Mark. He even goes to his school with a penny in his pocket that is good only for a one way trip. “My fare going back home is from the pleaded coins I receive from my classmates,” shared Mark.

Mark thought of a way on how he could save and spend his money wisely to avoid financial constraints. He decided to open a bank account to save even a little portion of his salary.

In 2012, he joined CARD Bank, a microfinance-oriented rural bank that provides a wide range of loan and savings products to help the Filipinos nationwide. CARD Bank also teaches financial literacy to its clients nationwide.

“I want to make my money grow that is why I joined CARD Bank. With CARD Bank, I am very much confident that there is something I can depend on,” said Mark.

Eventually, his savings in the bank have been earning interests. “CARD Bank taught me the importance of saving: to value little amount or part of your labor as well as to practice prioritizing what you only need and set aside your wants; to not waste money, time, and effort but instead to save for the future. CARD made a big part of where I am now,” he proudly beams.

Fruit of his labor

All the adversity paid off when he graduated Cum Laude at the Polytechnic University-Calauan Campus in 2015 with the degree of Bachelor in Business Teacher Education (BBTE). Blessings continue to flourish in Mark’s life because in the same year, he passed the licensure examination for teachers (LET). Mark is now teaching at Masaya Integrated National High School.

From being an inspired man, now, many students are making him as an inspiration to also  overcome life’s challenges.

“I always share my life’s story to my students because I want them to realize that poverty is not a hindrance to achieving their goals in life. As long as you have courage and determination, nothing is impossible,” he quoted.