At 24, Sugi is one of the older students at Onja. When she was a teenager, she did very well at school. In spite of that, she almost had to quit high school because her parents didn’t have the money anymore to pay for it. Then something amazing happened: one of her teachers, who really believed in her, decided to pay for her education and he even welcomed her into his family. On top of that, after she got her high school diploma, he made it possible for her to study at a university to become a doctor. Unfortunately, he had to stop supporting her due to illnesses and high medical expenses in his family. Sugi is so very grateful to him and his family and she visits them whenever she can!
Sugi has always loved studying. She never gets tired of it, especially mathematics, biology and science. But languages are a bit more challenging for her: she really loves to learn English at Onja, but she has to work hard for it.
Sugi is very happy to be at Onja, not only because she loves studying, but also because she likes living here with the other students, who have become good friends, and with the teachers. She also hopes that, when she works for ONJA, she will be able to help her parents and seven siblings to get a better life. When Sugi still was a baby, one of her older sisters needed expensive medical care for two years, and her parents, who are farmers, had to sell property and land. As a consequence they are very poor up to this very day. One of Sugi’s sisters does whatever she can to help them with her small income, but it is very hard for her. Her other six siblings are not able to help.
Apart from the wish to help her family, Sugi also has a dream. She wants to start a non-profit organization like Onja or an orphanage for homeless children. But that will have to wait until her work at Onja allows for it.