In the quiet rural town of Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, where sugarcane fields stretch wide and dreams often seem too distant, a young man named Joven Gamusaran dared to believe that his life could change. At 29 years old, Joven carries a story not unlike many in the province—born into poverty, raised with limited means, and yet, brimming with a determination that refused to be extinguished.
Joven grew up in a household of six children, where survival was a daily negotiation. His father sold ice cream in the streets, tirelessly walking under the sun just to earn a modest income, while his mother stayed home, managing the little they had. One of his siblings was born deaf, and in the family, Joven was the fifth—yet somehow, it was he who stepped forward to carry the burden of supporting his younger brother’s education and helping his parents keep the family afloat.
Even as a boy, Joven was no stranger to hard work. He began selling goods at school as a vendor in elementary, and when the day was done, he would sweep and clean buses at the Ceres Bus Terminal just to earn extra pesos. In high school, nothing changed—he continued to work mornings, studied in the afternoon, and found sanctuary in the church as a sacristan. “Mahirap, pero masaya,” he says. “Masaya dahil may direksyon. Masaya dahil may Diyos.”
His family was part of Couples for Christ (CFC), and so the faith that grounded his childhood would become the same faith that shaped his future. When the opportunity came to join the Community-Based Training Program of CFC ANCOP Global Foundation in Barangay Gargato, Hinigaran, Joven knew it was his time. He was selected to undergo training in Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) NC II, and with it came his first real step toward a better life.
After completing SMAW NC II, Joven’s desire to pursue more led him to Don Bosco TVET Center Balamban in Cebu. There, he enrolled in Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) NC II, and later, advanced to SMAW NC III. The move to Cebu was a big decision. He left his hometown and his family, journeying to a place where he knew no one. Life at Don Bosco was disciplined, demanding, and deeply formative. For the first time, he encountered structured training, values formation, spiritual guidance, and a brotherhood of youth just like him—hungry not just for food, but for change.
But the training was not easy. There were times when he doubted himself. There were nights when hunger and exhaustion crept in. Yet, every recollection, every Holy Mass, every quiet prayer kept him going. He would often think, “Laban lang. Hindi tayo pababayaan ni God.” He held onto this belief fiercely, even when others questioned his journey. He had no tools, no money, sometimes not even proper shoes—but he had hope, and that was enough.
His days were filled with welding practices, daily Masses, evening rosaries, recollections, and values seminars. Here, he wasn’t just learning a trade—he was learning how to lead his life. “Mas pinalawak pa ang aking natutunan,” Joven reflects. “Natuto akong maging disiplinado, mag-manage ng oras, magbahagi ng kaalaman, at higit sa lahat, magtiwala sa Diyos.”
Eventually, he landed a job in a Local Ship Building company in Balamban, Cebu as a Ship Hull Fitter, applying the very skills he learned under the guidance of Don Bosco. But Joven wasn’t content to stay still. He had dreams of going abroad—not for adventure, but for stability. He wanted to save enough to lift his family from poverty, to someday start a small business, and to help others like him achieve their dreams.
The path to international employment, however, was filled with rejection. He applied to agencies, passed interviews, underwent medicals, only to be turned down again and again. Each rejection felt like a door slamming shut, but Joven never stopped knocking. He faced doubts, both from within and from others, but he stayed true to the path laid before him.
Then came May 2025. Joven received the long-awaited news: he was hired as a Ship Fitter in Romania. The same hands that once swept floors and cleaned buses were now building steel structures bound for the seas. His tears weren’t just of joy—they were of relief, of vindication, of fulfillment. All the years of silent sacrifice, of waking before dawn and working past dusk, of praying through doubt, had finally led to this.
Joven’s story is not just about individual triumph—it is a testament to what happens when community, opportunity, and faith come together. CFC ANCOP Global Foundation, through its mission to evangelize and empower, planted the seed. Don Bosco TVET Center Balamban, with its mission to form good Christians and upright citizens, nurtured it. And Joven, with unwavering resilience, made it grow.
Now, his dream is to save and build a small business—not just for profit, but for purpose. He wants to become a mentor, a model for younger boys in the province, especially those who feel left behind. “Maging mabuting halimbawa ako sa kabataan,” he says. “Gusto ko silang hikayatin na huwag sumuko, kahit mahirap. Dahil may pag-asa. Lalo na kung magtutulungan tayo.”
To the partners, donors, and mentors behind ANCOP and Don Bosco, Joven extends his deepest thanks. “Marami pa po kaming naghahangad na matulungan. Salamat sa inyo. Salamat sa Diyos.”
In Joven’s voice, there is no bitterness—only strength. In his hands, there are no chains—only tools. And in his heart, there is no fear—only faith.
