At the recent virtual HOPE Hero Awarding Ceremony, HOPE, an impact-driven organization that directs 100% of its profits towards the construction of public school classrooms and environmental projects, celebrated three remarkable everyday heroes. The HOPE Hero Awards program shines a bright spotlight on individuals who have devoted their time, resources, and creativity to uplift the lives of others. These honorees have not only earned well-deserved recognition but also serve as inspirations to encourage others to follow in their footsteps, contributing to meaningful and lasting change.
HOPE’s commitment to investing its profits for the betterment of society resonated strongly as it acknowledged these outstanding individuals. The HOPE Hero Awards program serves as a testament to the power of collective action and the transformative impact that individuals can have when they channel their efforts towards positive and impactful endeavors.
The stories of our HOPE Heroes are of triumph over despair, of compassion in the face of cruelty, and of perseverance when the odds seem insurmountable. They remind us that no act of kindness is too small, and no dream is too big. These stories will hopefully inspire us to dig a little deeper to find our own best selves – to find the better angels in our natures – and to recognize the many everyday heroes that you may have in your lives each day,”
HOPE chairperson Nanette Medved-Po.
Cynthia Caridad Abdon-Tellez was named Hope Hero of the Year, the top award of
the recognition program for establishing the Mission For Migrant Workers (MFMW) in Recognizing an urgent need, the mission has now provided essential services to approximately 30,000 foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong. It is through her advocacy that she has shed light on the challenges faced by these workers, 98% of whom are women from underdeveloped countries. Her work extends to addressing issues of underpayment, overwork, debt, discrimination, and even physical and sexual
abuse.
Runner up, Anton Mari Lim is the co-founder, president and CEO of the Yellow Boat of
HOPE Foundation. As his flagship project, he was able to donate safe transportation in
the form of 5,000 yellow boats, ensuring that children in remote areas can access
education which has led to increased school attendance in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Runner up, Zacarias Mansing is a wheelchair-bound PWD who embodies the spirit of a
socio-civic volunteer and motivational speaker. Despite being paralyzed from the chest
down, he continues to inspire others through his initiative “Books for Kids” that aims to
be a catalyst for children to develop a love of reading and elevate literacy levels in
public schools, especially in the remote areas of Negros Oriental.
The HOPE Hero Award is open to Filipinos who are delivering impact anywhere in the
world AND individuals, regardless of nationality, impacting Filipinos.
Each candidate was deliberated by a panel of judges who reviewed and evaluated the
submissions under the following criteria: Community impact and reach in which the
initiative should have significantly improved the lives of the people in the community and
have impacted a large audience; Consistency where the recipient should have
demonstrated a consistent history of his/her work for not less than a year and in
ongoing at the time of the awards; and Creativity where the recipient’s work must
involve some degree of unconventionality, innovativeness and originality.
