From the sugarcane fields of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, Jaime Vito III once toiled under the scorching sun—working as a young farmer, unsure where life would take him. He came from a family of rice and vegetable farmers, where daily meals were earned with sweat, sacrifice, and soil. His childhood was shaped by humble beginnings and the quiet grit of survival.
But Jaime dreamed of more. And when he was accepted into the Community-Based Training Program of CFC ANCOP Global Foundation, conducted at Hinigaran National High School in partnership with Don Bosco TVET Center Balamban, that dream began to unfold.
At Don Bosco TVET Center Balamban, Jaime trained in Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) NC II and NC III, FCAW NCII. Learning wasn’t easy. As a working student, he juggled manual labor and technical training with an aching body and an empty stomach. “I only had pancit and papaya to eat sometimes,” Jaime recalls. “But I endured it. I told myself—if I don’t go through this pain, I’ll never reach my dream.”
While undergoing training, Jaime also engaged in real-world construction activities under the Center’s projects. These hands-on experiences—from fabrication to actual construction—further sharpened his technical competence and deepened his understanding of site-based teamwork. It was in this environment that his passion for welding merged with a sense of purpose and belonging.
After completing his course, Jaime was hired as a FCAW Welder in a local shipbuilding company. It was here that he truly mastered his craft. The rigorous demands of shipyard work tested his patience, precision, and perseverance. Each day brought challenges, but also opportunities to refine his skill set and strengthen his resolve.
However, the journey toward overseas employment was far from smooth. Jaime experienced multiple rejections from international employers. Each “no” stung deeply, yet never shattered his determination. He reflected on these failures not as dead-ends, but as redirections. “I realized I had the technical skills,” he says, “but I needed to grow in other areas—communication, teamwork, leadership, and emotional resilience.”
Rather than lose heart, Jaime doubled down on improving what was lacking. He paid attention to feedback, observed others, and molded himself not just into a better worker, but a better person. He leaned on the values instilled at Don Bosco—discipline, critical thinking, responsibility, time management, and empathy. The spiritual formation he received—daily Mass, evening rosary, recollection, and confession—gave him strength in his lowest moments.
And then, in 2025, the breakthrough arrived. Jaime was hired as an FCAW Welder by Arabian International Company (AIC) in Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The offer fulfilled the very dream he had chased through rejection, hunger, and hardship. He could hardly believe it—he was finally stepping into foreign soil not as a tourist, but as a professional.
“I was tired, yes, and sometimes the work gets very hard,” Jaime says. “But I kept thinking of my dream—and how far I’ve come from those days of harvesting sugarcane.”
Now, Jaime provides for his family. He is saving to buy land and build a house. His success has brought not just financial stability, but a sense of pride and admiration from his community. People back home look up to him. He remains humble, grounded in faith, and thankful for the people who helped him rise—his instructors and the Salesians, whose guidance left a lasting impression.
Don Bosco TVET Center Balamban was not just a school for Jaime—it was his second home, his crucible, his launching pad. It is where he became not just a skilled welder, but a resilient, faithful, and visionary young man.
To those who walk the same path, he offers this advice: “Be patient. Don’t give up. You’ll get tired, but keep going. Even if you’re just eating papaya and pancit today, tomorrow might bring you to the Gulf.”
Jaime’s story is a powerful witness to the mission of CFC ANCOP Global Foundation and Don Bosco TVET Center Balamban—to answer the cry of the poor through Evangelization, Education, and Employment. He is living proof that poverty is not a permanent state, but a passage.
Don Bosco SPARKS DREAMS, IGNITES FUTURES.
And Jaime Vito III is now living his.
