Saavedra, Millene Aurelle 12 STEM

MODERN DAY HERO

Kesz Valdez
- Kesz Valdez, Filipino, was born on December 26, 1998 in Cavite
City, Philippines. He is a Filipino awardee of the 2012
International Childrens Peace Prize in The Hague, Netherlands.
He is the first southeast Asian to receive the International
Childrens Peace Prize and currently the youngest among the
finalists nominated for the recognition.
- Kesz together with his guardian Harnin Manalaysay founded
the Championing Community Children, an organization which
aims at giving hope and showing the street children they can
transform their own lives and inspire others to do as well. Kesz
helped more than 10,00 children in his community. He leads street children to better health
by demonstrating and spreading basic hygiene practice. Some 246,000 street children are,
like Valdez was as a young child, subjected to abuse, violence, and child labor in the
Philippines. Through his charity, he has handed out more than 5,000 gifts to destitute
children that included everyday articles like flip-flops, toys, sweets and clothes.
- His advocacy to improve their situation started on his seventh birthday, the first one he ever
had. Instead of asking for gifts himself, Kesz gave street children what he called Hope Gifts,
wrapped packages containing basic hygiene products, slippers, clothing and even toys.
- He dedicated his award to his guardian Harnin Manalaysay, who cared for him after running
away from his family due to abuse and maltreatment. He received a 100,000 euro ($130,000)
prize. He said that the prize would help him get an education and perhaps realize his dream
of becoming a doctor.
- My message to children around the world is not to lose hope and to remember things like
hygiene said Valdez. Valdez likened one of his experiences of maltreatment- being scorched
in a pile of garbage- to a baptism of fire. He made a promise during his speech that he will
not stop in his efforts to fight for the rights of street children and encouraged others to do
the same.

Do not lose hope even if you live on the streets. Whoever you are, wherever you are, you can do
something to change the world- Kesz Valdez

(source: GMA News Online; Wikipedia;)