I'm Samantha Dy. I have created this campaign in hopes to help my mother and I get into a more stable financial position. She has sacrificed a lot over the years as a single parent.
Up until three years ago my mother and I used to live in a small apartment in Lake Oswego, OR. Right now we have moved back to the Philippines in order for to get a more affordable education and be closer to our extended family. I had dreamed of studying fine arts or advertising at my parent's university but due to the suddenly annulment of child support I had to look for cheaper alternative. I have since enrolled at Metropolitan Medical Center College of Arts, Science and Technology as a Business Administration student. I have grown to enjoy this field, especially when it came to accounting or just math in general and want to go into advertisement after graduation.
On average it cost about $550 - 600 (PHP 27, 500 - 30,000*) per semester but over the years the cost has gone up due to the increasing miscellaneous and other fees. My father would still send money for tuition but on some occasions they we're not enough to cover the installment payments. Eventually all of our savings then, as well as our back up money has already been depleted before my mother could find stable work.
As of now my mother is working with less than $400 (PHP 20,000*) income to help finance my studies and at the same time pay for all the expenses. Our expenses monthly looks as follows: electric bills are about $60 (PHP 3,000*), water about $25 (PHP 1,250*) , food is roughly $120 (PHP 6,000*), and our allowances and transportation is about $120 (PHP 6,000*) also for the both of us. The difference from what she earns to our expenses is often payed by my grandparents or sometimes her friends. Some are given of good will while others are loans. Other times we would sell some of our possessions or make small sacrifices in the budget. I wanted to help her but she always tells me to focus on finishing my bachelors degree first. It pains me every time I watch her struggling to make ends meet.
She wouldn't even tell me how much money she owes, and says I shouldn’t worry. But it has and I know we have accumulated a lot of debt! I know she was borrowing money in hopes to keep us afloat. But we are barely making it through the weeks paying bills and buying necessities. I still have about three more semesters of college and my upcoming senior year will be a lot more costly.
The money raised from this campaign will be used to help payback our debts, pay for our bills, to buy our necessities and also fund my remaining tuition fees. This is will help lessen the heavy burden on my mother's shoulders and provide us some relief from worrying about future expenses for a while.
Please help my mother and me overcome this financial burden. I know this is not a permanent solution but it will still allow us make it through these upcoming months. I would forever be grateful to those who help fund my campaign, or even just share my story to others. Any amount of donations and shares will be greatly appreciated to reach $ 1,000 (PHP 50,000*). With all the bad luck I've been experiencing lately, this will truly brighten things up for a change. Thank you so very much.
*Rough exchange rate is US $2 = PHP 100
