Yep, I too came from a poor background, went to university, then became quite successful and left that economic bracket behind. I work in software and security engineering, and coupled with good investments am in a very solid financial position. I have also spent a good chunk of the last decade studying and learning about the root causes of poverty and it largely cured me of my "I pulled myself up by my bootstraps" mentality I had as I started to escape from the mess that my childhood was.