Toronto – November 8, 2014 – Josephine Cabilin works as a live-in caregiver in Moncton, New Brunswick. Originally from the Philippines, she came to Canada in 2011 after working as a live-in caregiver in Taiwan. Josephine’s husband and 15-year-old son live in the Philippines.

Josephine values a strong sense of community and the opportunities that come from diverse experiences. Prior to working in Taiwan, she completed two years of a college program in tourism in the Philippines. Josephine first arrived in Moncton to care for an elderly couple. Since then, one of the seniors has passed away and she continues to work as a live-in caregiver for the remaining elder. Josephine is also active with the Filipino Association of New Brunswick, which is where she heard about UFCW Canada’s Migrant Workers Scholarships program.

Working as a live-in caregiver, with your family on the other side of the world, takes an immense level of courage and determination. Josephine is grateful for the $500 scholarship, which will help pay for her son John Mark’s tuition and school supplies. Like thousands of other migrant workers just like her, Josephine looks forward to the day when her family joins her in Canada so they can be reunited under one roof as they work together for a bright future.

Since 2010, Canada’s union for agriculture workers has received over 15,000 applications for its Migrant Workers Scholarships program and has now awarded scholarships to 65 children to benefit their educational pursuits in their home countries.

The deadline to apply for the 2014 round of Migrant Workers Scholarships is December 31, 2014. To find out more about the UFCW Canada Migrant Workers Scholarships program, and to download applications or apply online, visit ufcw.ca/migrantscholarship.