LOOK: This year’s Soroptimist International-Batangas Premier’s (SIBP) Live Your Dream Awards (LYDA) scholar is PAWJIYA BAYANI, a BS Education major in Early Education student of the University of Batangas. Pawjiya is a member of the Badjau tribe settled in Bgy. Wawa of Batangas City.

She is a Day Care Center Volunteer Teacher under the our very own Batangas City Social Welfare and Development Office. She is also one of the active Bajau translators and community coordinators called upon by LGU agencies to help in communicating policies and programs for the different government services like reproductive health, hygiene, AIDS, civil registry of births and deaths, and registration for claiming financial benefits and the exercise of the right to vote.

LYDA is a unique education program for women who provide the primary financial support for their families. Said award gives women the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects.

In the recently concluded 29th Biennial National Conference of the Soroptimist International of the Americas Philippines Region held last May 10-11, 2024 at the Royce Hotel (Clark, Pampanga), Pawjiya (who already "won" educational grants from SI-Batangas Premier, SI-Mariverde District, and SIA-Philippines Region) was given another surprise with the announcement by Michelle Burnett, Soroptimist International of the Americas, Inc. 's Executive Director, as Federation (international) scholarship grantee of $10,000.

She is SIBP's 3rd Region (national) grant winner and 2nd Federation (international) grant winner, a testament to the club's adherence to a quality search and dedication to mentorship of all our college scholars and high school mentees.

SIBP Club President Loida Rhodora P. Mayo and SIBP Scholarships Oversight Committee Chair Elsie V. Basco were on hand to receive the award with Pawjiya.
Here is Pawjiya's story.