GROWING up in a single-income household, Sharlene de Guzman faced challenges that shaped her determination to build a better future for her family. Although their circumstances made daily life difficult, de Guzman was driven by her desire to help her parents and lift them out of their struggles.

Being in a single-income family often meant making sacrifices. 'Back then, my teachers knew me as one of the top students, but among the last ones to pay for anything. Even at a young age, I promised myself that I would not continue to live this way. I wanted change,' de Guzman shared. This sense of responsibility fueled her ambition to rise above the limitations they faced.