Imagine growing up in a village without electricity, clean water, or proper roads. This was the life of Paulina Henry, a young girl from Pitas, Sabah. But even in the quiet corners of hardship, dreams found a way to whisper.
Have you ever held on to a dream so tightly that not even your circumstances could knock it out of your hands?
Paulina's turning point came with a full scholarship. It took her from the darkest depths of Sabah to a boarding school in Kelantan - miles away from home, on her own, but never afraid to make her mark. Wearing oversized shoes, she made a quiet promise: "One day, I'll buy my own shoes. And I'll make sure others can do the same.
And she did much more than that.
Paulina excelled. She went on to study Computer Science at UTM, then a Master's in Teaching & Learning. But even with her academic achievements and a successful career in education, something tugged at her heart. She could not turn a blind eye to the plight of the youth of rural Sabah - brilliant minds dimmed by lack of access.
Do you know someone with so much potential but so few chances?
It was this thought that led her to create RISEBAH - a movement, not an organisation. It offered more than skills training and education; it offered hope. Paulina turned classrooms into stepping stones and small communities into launching pads for bigger dreams.
But she didn't stop there. With Spirit of Sabah, she promoted local culture, heritage and identity - because empowerment is not just about getting a job. It's about knowing who you are and where you come from.
From a little girl with no shoes to a woman paving the way for others, Paulina's story is an example of how resilience can change destinies.