MANILA, Philippines – Riza Mae Tachado, the first person in her family to earn a computer science degree, got through some rough spots in her education with the help of Internet.org, a free data connectivity service offered through Smart, Globe, TM, and Sun Cellular.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared Riza’s story on Tuesday, October 13, showcasing it in a video that told of her struggles in pursuing something better for herself than collecting seashells.

Tachado, who lives on an island in Culasi, Antique, traveled by boat daily to  attend school for her computer science degree at the mainland.

During a typhoon that kept her isolated from the mainland for weeks, Tachado and her groupmates took advantage of Internet.org’s free features to communicate, using Facebook through Internet.org to collaborate on their thesis. The collaboration led her group to finish their thesis on an “Automated Water Billing System of Culasi Water District.”

“Being connected means having opportunity,” Zuckerberg added in his post, pointing to one of the main reasons why Internet.org is a powerful force for change.

“We’re going to connect the whole world so one day everyone can achieve their full human potential – just like Riza,” he added.