TWO decades ago, when Ms Grace Del Mundo Margarita Antazo was 21, she had to drop out of an accountancy degree programme back in the Philippines to come here as a domestic helper to support her parents and six siblings.

After 23 years of working for now-retired insurance manager Doris Lee, the 44-year-old Filipina is now going to get the paper qualification she wants - and her former boss will pay her tuition fees.

Ms Del Mundois studying for a diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Business at Temasek Polytechnic, after which she hopes to find a job here.

It is not the first time Ms Lee, 66, has paid for her former maid's education - she also saw Ms Del Mundo through her O levels as a private candidate and a computer studies diploma - but this polytechnic programme will be the one that will put her on track for a career she wants.

The four-semester course is costing Ms Lee more than $6,000 a term.

Ms Del Mundo is staying rent-free with her former boss, who has also bought her a $2,400 laptop computer and pays for her books, transport, meals and other expenses.

Ms Lee, who has since hired Ms Del Mundo's cousin to take over doing the household chores, said: 'It is expensive, but I guess you could call it a long service award!'

The widow, who has no children, added: 'We very much consider her a part of our family. I can't possibly take my money to my grave, so if I can help a young lady who wants to move forward, why not?'

She said that while the Filipina would not have minded continuing as her maid, 'that was not what she wanted to remain'.

Ms Del Mundo has been treated like a member of the family from the day she arrived. Part of her job involved caring for the parents and in-laws of Ms Lee, who was, at the time, recently widowed.

Over the years, she has eaten and prayed with the family and gone on outings and vacations with them.

But Ms Lee knew that her maid dreamed of doing more with herself.

Ms Del Mundo had given up a place at the Manuel L. Quezon University in Manila, where she had a scholarship, because the responsibility she felt as her family's eldest child outweighed her own dreams.

She said: 'I wanted my siblings to have decent meals and the opportunity to go to school...I was not earning much but the money I sent home was a big help to my family.'

Today, two of her younger sisters are university graduates and hold good jobs. Her brothers have also established themselves.

They now look after their widowed mother, which has left Ms Del Mundo free to pursue her own studies.

She found out about the course at Temasek Polytechnic last year and is deeply grateful that Ms Lee, whom she calls 'Auntie', has given her the opportunity to study there.

She said: 'I never imagined that someone would ever do this for me.'

Ms Del Mundo may be the oldest student in class, but she is taking life as a 'mature student' in her stride. She finds she has to study hard because her memory is not quite as sharp.

But she hopes that, with an eventual job in the hospitality industry here, she will be able to get permanent residency.

'I have grown to love Singapore... I also want to continue to be a companion to my Auntie and repay her for the kindness she has shown me.'

arti@sph.com.sg