Ronita left school when she became pregnant as a teenager. She was at risk of never re-entering the education system when she had her first child, Clark, at 17. With the support of people like you, Ronita was given a second chance at completing her studies when she heard about the Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ), Caritas Australia’s local partners in the Philippines.

Through the FCJ’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) program, Ronita was able to re-enrol in her studies and continue learning in a safe and flexible environment – even with the arrival of her second child, Egzy Grey.

Ronita has now completed her final high school exams and secured a job at a call centre, which required a Grade 12 Senior High School Diploma to apply. She hopes to earn enough income to continue her studies and support her family.

Spanning across the six weeks of Lent each year, Project Compassion brings thousands of Australian schools, parishes and supporters together to raise funds for people living in some of the most vulnerable communities across the world.

To read Ronita's inspirational story in full, please click here: https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/ronita-story/