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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Single mom from Leyte shares success story

Single mom from Leyte shares success story

Published Apr 1, 2021 04:07 pm

TACLOBAN CITY -- As humanity faces a global crisis, it becomes more challenging for women to prove their worth in society.

They have fewer opportunities and choices. However, there are still those who live up to the challenge and become a catalyst of change. They are able to turn an unfavorable situation into an arm for success.

(via Marie Marticio / MANILA BULLETIN)

As the nation wrapped up the International Women's Month celebration, a 32-year-old single mom shares her story of success in a foreign land.

The journey of Aiza Borrel Molina, a graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management and a former college instructor, started when she went to visit her boyfriend, now her ex-husband, in Melbourne, Australia which coincided with supertyphoon "Yolanda" that ravaged her hometown Tanauan, Leyte in 2013.

Her fashion boutique and a travel and tours agency were already flourishing in Tanauan so she felt that she was not ready to live in Australia at that time.

"I started my training in the business when I was still in Grade 2, I would sell candy and fruits to my classmates. At 21, I was also doing business on the side while I was working full-time," she recalled.

"Living here (in Australia) was not really my choice. I was supposed to go home on the day Yolanda hit our place. The Australian government helped with my visa so I was able to stay here," she shared.

Her troubled marriage prompted her to seek other opportunities when her daughter was barely a year old.

"I was no longer happy with our relationship. Sometimes a woman is stuck in a situation that you're not happy with because you don't have a choice. You rely financially on a man. I felt like I was a prisoner and I did not have the freedom on what I wanted with my life."

She gave up her job as a sales executive when she had her daughter via the cesarian section. Although she was earning in her bridal business, it was not enough to sustain her daughter's needs.

"It's a different story when you have a child so I challenged myself and took a risk when I enrolled in an online entrepreneurship course with the little money that I had," she said.

Her situation did not stop her from making a leap of faith when she joined an online business that changed her life. In 2018, she started StarLegends Adventure with over 100 overseas Filipino worker affiliates.

It was an all-in-one booking portal that was helping OFWs earn extra income while still working and can be shared with their families in the Philippines.

"There were OFWs going home because they were more confident that they could earn even though they were no longer working abroad. It inspired me to share the opportunity with more people because I could see that it was working considering the results," she shared.

"My mission is to provide opportunities for Filipinos especially for parents like myself because I grew up with my mother as an OFW in Japan so it was a struggle to be away from her."

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted Aiza to shift from a travel and tours agency with over 5,000 affiliates in 2020 to e-commerce with an online shopping platform.

"Our transition was fast from one system to another. We were just starting with our learning platform because I could no longer afford to train all of them every night," she recalled.

This month, they will be launching a one-stop-shop social and business learning platform for Filipinos.

They have free online courses, an e-commerce platform with trusted suppliers, customer support, a social network where people can learn from and inspire each other, and a forum or group for traveler's and vloggers who are looking for special deals, tips, and recommendations on travel and tours products and services.

Aiza is looking into expanding her brand in Australia this year and was able to build a private farm retreat villa in her hometown as she juggles her responsibilities as a full-time mom.

She considers all the hardships that she has been through as a blessing and all her experiences made her a stronger woman and a mother.

Aiza has been recognized for her noteworthy accomplishments in the field of entrepreneurship, while StarLegends Adventures Travel and Tours won Most Outstanding and Trusted Travel Agency during the National Customer's Choice Achievement Award in 2019.

She has been nominated as Manager of the Year 2019 for the Achievement Forum in London in 2019; won Golden Globe Annual Awards for Business Excellence 2019 as the Best Travel and Tours Provider-Tacloban; Elite Business and Leadership Awards 2019 in Leadership Achievement Entrepreneurship-Tacloban; Philippine Top Choice Awards for Excellence and Outstanding Achievers 2019; and International Icon Awards for Business Leadership and Achievers- 2019, among others.

"Great things don't happen when you are in your comfort zone. Not until you discover a purpose more than yourself, then that's the only time that you are actually going to think big for me, it was wanting to provide for my daughter and the need to help others."

She aims for the company to grow and be renowned globally to create an impact on people's lives especially women.

Aiza advised women who are going through the same situation that she's been through to keep their faith, never forget to love themselves, and always be courageous.

"Commit to what you want to happen with your life. Be courageous to move forward. You may remember the situation but never look back and just go all in."

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