From Trash to Triumph: The Inspiring Journey of a Dubai Millionaire

A woman who once scavenged for a living and grew up in poverty in Las Piñas, after overcoming many challenges in life, found success and became a millionaire in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, through sheer determination.

Image Courtesy of GMA Network

In an episode of "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," Jenifer Segalowitz shared her story of how her family used to live in a small makeshift home. She had five siblings, and they all slept on mats without electricity in their house.

Jenifer’s father was a carpenter, but he became ill, so the family relied solely on the meager earnings of her mother, who was a seamstress.

“I craved even just bread, but we couldn’t afford it. I experienced going to school with only one peso for lunch. I saw other students with clean, white socks while mine were faded. I felt both envy and sadness,” Jenifer recalled about her difficult childhood.

“Why do they have that, and we don’t?” she wondered.

At just five years old, Jenifer started collecting trash to sell before going to school. She even narrowly escaped an assault while scavenging.

“We knocked on a door. A man who seemed drunk came out and said, ‘Come inside the room.’ I ran and cried,” Jenifer recounted.

On top of that, she and her siblings also experienced physical abuse from their father for even the slightest mistake.

To escape the maltreatment, Jenifer became a household helper, but her ordeal wasn’t over. She was falsely accused of stealing money by her employer and was jailed.

“I cried and cried. Even though we were poor, our mother never taught us to steal. When my father passed away, I told my mother, I will work abroad,” she shared.

Upon arriving in Dubai, Jenifer worked as a waitress and took on multiple side jobs, such as selling peanuts, native snacks, and makeup. Her clients were mostly fellow Filipinos.

She also became an encyclopedia dealer and met a fellow Filipino who later became her husband.

They got married in Dubai, had three children, and lived there. However, their relationship began to crumble when her husband lost his job.

Their arguments escalated to the point where her husband grabbed a knife, terrifying Jenifer. Eventually, they separated, and Jenifer raised their children on her own.

“Even now, I remember how hard it was. You wonder why others have stable lives, while I had three jobs and still couldn’t survive. It was never enough,” Jenifer tearfully recalled.

Amid her struggles, she found love again with an American named Doug Segalowitz. Together, they ventured into business and started a Korean barbecue restaurant, which they slowly grew.

From earning only small coins as a trash scavenger, Jenifer’s restaurant now earns up to P16 million per month, with more branches added.

Jenifer has since bought her own house in Dubai and several properties in the Philippines, including a three-story house.

Despite her large income, Jenifer and Doug continue to live a simple life and don’t indulge in overly expensive purchases.

In a touching video by KMJS, Jenifer is seen visiting her old home in Las Piñas, which reminded her of the immense hardship her family once endured.

Not only has Jenifer remained grounded, but she also gives back by providing scholarships to the children of their fellow church members. Watch and be inspired by her journey.