Pioneers in Angola
Romeu Balanga is the first student in Angola to earn a bachelor’s degree through BYU-Pathway, and his wife, Anastância, will soon follow.
August 2021
Dax Manalastas, of Quezon City, Philippines, has always dreamed of becoming a doctor. Although he knew that goal would require a lot of time and work, Dax wasn’t sure what steps to take. As a first step, his wife, Dianne, suggested he continue his edu-cation. “I didn’t really plan to apply to BYU-Pathway, but I had the impression that it would be useful,” Dax says. Dax struggled at first due to his inexperience with online learning and not having other students around, but that struggle soon turned into a blessing. “The gathering every Thursday night brought me so much peace because it allowed me to share [what I learned] with others. As days went on, I became accustomed to what I was doing, and it helped me use my time wisely,” he says.
In addition to secular learning, BYU-Pathway Worldwide has helped Dax with spiritual learning. He says, “This has brought me closer to the Lord. I learned that all things I learn from school have a spiritual counterpart.”
As Dax and Dianne prepare for the next steps in life, including becoming first-time parents to a baby girl, they are excited for the future and encourage others to enroll. “It is really worth it,” Dax says. “It will prepare you for your future roles in the family, Church, and community.”
Romeu Balanga is the first student in Angola to earn a bachelor’s degree through BYU-Pathway, and his wife, Anastância, will soon follow.
In 2012, Scott Spendlove was serving as a stake president in San Antonio, Texas, when he was invited to a meeting to learn about an education program from BYU-Idaho that was coming to his area: Pathway.
Daniel Hernandez was able to advance his career and better support his family because of BYU-Pathway.