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RESPECT November 25 2009
Being the day before the holiday, I thought I’d get into the spirit and post about this dude named Efren Penaflorida.
He is this year’s recipient of the CNN Hero Award, and he’s from my dad’s hometown in the Philippines. A lot of the youth there easily become part of gangs, sometimes because of pressure, other times because of poverty. According to local human rights groups, membership continues to surge. Efren offers an alternative to that lifestyle, through a pushcart classroom. Every Saturday, he and his team roam the slums teaching children reading, writing, and math. The group also runs a hygiene clinic, where kids can get a bath and learn how to brush their teeth. The goal was to divert the youth from gangs and show them other forms of productivity, like education. So far, Efren has mentored over one thousand children, each of them crediting him for bringing them back to life.
Everyday people can change the world. I’m thankful for that.
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