When Zach Pilapil visited an open day at De Montfort University (DMU) Dubai, he was simply hoping for a path toward his future. Behind the scenes, however, his family was navigating a period of intense instability. His mother, Daisy, a single parent who had lived in the UAE for over two decades, had been secretly struggling with unemployment after a hiring freeze in her sector. Determined to protect her children from the financial strain, she managed their household on dwindling savings, never letting the weight of their precarious situation hinder Zach’s focus on his studies.

The turning point arrived when Zach was announced as the first-ever recipient of the 100 per cent GCC Impact Scholarship at DMU Dubai. Designed to support students impacted by regional instability, the grant covers his full three-year tuition for Mechanical Engineering, effectively removing a massive financial mountain from his mother’s shoulders. For Daisy, the award felt like a miraculous answer to prayer, granting her the peace of mind that her years of sacrifice had finally borne fruit. Now, as Zach prepares to start his degree, he is determined to give back to the university community, hoping his story of resilience serves as a beacon of hope for other students facing similar obstacles.