Marivic Castillo

I had debt when I came to Hong Kong, as I needed to pay for my placement fee but didn't have enough cash when I left the Philippines. The first debt I owed was around HKD$10,000. Two years later, I also borrowed money from lending companies when every time I returned home in the Philippines. It became very difficult, as when I received my salary every month, I had to repay my debts first before I could use the money to pay for my expenses and send to my family.

I first attended the free workshop “Lunch and Learn” at Enrich, and found the workshop very interesting.

Since I learned of Enrich, I started to track my every day expenses and eventually paid off my debts. My mentor advised me to pay off my debts first before I should start saving for my goals.

I am currently studying information and technology. After completing my studies, I plan to have a garment business. Enrich has helped me get closer to this goal, for example, telling me that I need to plan the location of the shop, and I need to plan for solutions for problems I may have in starting this business beforehand.

Note from Enrich: Since the time of this interview, Marivic has gone on to achieve her goals and returned home to the Philippines in April 2020. She is a testament to the power of financial education!

When Marivic arrived in Hong Kong in 2010, she intended to stay for two years. But the loan she borrowed to cover recruitment costs triggered a cycle of debt; she borrowed a total of HK$40,000 over the next six years. But after joining Enrich, everything changed. She became debt-free, graduated with an associate degree in IT (the first in her family to attend university!), created a plan and saved money for her businesses. As the coordinator of our Filipino Ambassadors she led her team to organise activities and inspire others to join Enrich. 

Now that she's home, Marivic is set to open her garments business, hiring unemployed mothers in her community, as well as a sari-sari (convenience) store. She also hopes to get married in the near future! We are immensely proud of Marivic - from debtor to entrepreneur in just 4 years! 

Her message to other domestic workers:

“Focus on your goals, set your priorities and set the time-frame for you to go home. Take action today!”