WOMEN WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Sister Bridgette: "A Saint at Home"

Sister Bridgette is a woman who lives her life for others.

She has dedicated her life to running a shelter for foreign domestic workers who have been ill treated, abused or left jobless. The shelter serves as a haven for foreign workers while their cases are being investigated and their employment status is in limbo.

"They are modern heroes, they are human sacrifices for their countries," says Bridgette.

Sister Bridgette hopes to provide them a home away from home, a place the women can feel loved. Aptly, her shelter in a leafy suburb of Singapore is named H.O.M.E.

What started four years ago with just a handful of women, now houses about 120 women from all over Asia. A soup kitchen has also been initiated to provide free meals and a team of social workers counsel's victims of exploitation and injustice. The foreign domestic workers have the option to go for courses to upgrade their skills.

In 2003, Sister Bridgette received the Banaag Award for her service to overseas Filipinos in Singapore from the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. In the year 2005, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the 1000 Peace Women project.

Bridgette gave up everything in life to pursue what she feels is her duty and right to pursue.

"I have a passion, a commitment to help the underprivileged. I am just living my values and that is what being a real person is-it's what it means to be human."