Unicef have reported that one billion children living in poverty worldwide are deprived of essential nutrients found in food and water which they need to grow and develop. In addition, many of the children are uneducated and don’t have access to healthcare. Some countries are in worse situations than others, one of these countries is the Philippines. “In the Philippines, hundreds of thousands of impoverished urban children are growing up in squalor, deprived of education and healthcare.”(Alertnet-Unicef) Someone needs to fight for these children. Children without voices. They need hope for the future and therefore have to be provided for. Luckily, a thirteen year old boy is doing so. Kesz lived in a dumpsite in the Philippines, until he was rescued and given a chance to be someone different. Today, Kesz helps other street children by educating them about their basic hygiene and giving them hope for the future.
Kesz and his friends visit local schools and dumpsites in order to help the children learn about basic hygiene so they can stay healthy. Kesz has lived on a dumpsite like many of the kids he now teaches, therefore knows what they are going through, “I used to drink the water from a pothole in the street...even from sewage canals...I did not know it was harmful to me.”(The International Children’s Peace Prize). When Kesz used to live on the streets he was forced to scavenge for food and water. The food in the garbage piles and the polluted water from the sewage canals was all he had to survive. Kesz wants to teach the street children about the bacteria that lurks in garbage, the diseases you can catch from drinking dirty water and the need to clean wounds and cuts. He knows that these children are far more at risk than most children of dying. By “teaching, demonstrating and spreading basic hygiene practice...how to wash hands properly, brush teeth daily, and bathe regularly”(The International Children’s Peace Prize), Kesz has come up with the motto “our health is our wealth”. This phrase means that when children are healthy they can think clearly, play and go to school. Having a healthy body that will allow them to live longer and gain more knowledge of the world and Kesz believes that it is his responsibility to ensure that future generations are educated about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Not only does Kesz understand how crucial health is to one's well being, he also understands how hope for the future is important.
Kesz was rescued and shown love, he now leads by example and helps street children develop hope in their lives. Kesz had lived off of the dumpsite since he was two. The dumpsite was a dangerous home for Kesz, when he was growing up many things we consider awful were normal to him. For example he and his friends would allow flies to feast on their open wounds. Burning rubbish was also a hazard. At the age of seven, Kesz suffered burns from falling in a dumpsite fire. He experienced the danger first hand but he was one of the lucky ones who got a chance to be somebody different “..the day I was rescued...I know I am loved. Mr.Harnin...taught me these principles... his own life’s examples.”(The International Peace Prize). Kesz was rescued by Mr.Harnin, now his father figure in life. Mr.Harnin leads by example, teaching Kesz all the principles he needs to make a change in the world. He has taught Kesz to give back, and by educating children Kesz is doing so. By teaching the children about their basic hygiene, Kesz hopes that one day they will pass on their knowledge to others, just like he has. Mr.Harnin has also taught him other principles that are being shown in his foundation Championing Community Children. Giving hope in the form of “a toy, a pair of slippers or a smile, will bring joy... these are the simple acts of change that me and my team at Championing Community Children do.”(The International Peace Prize). Championing Community Children is the foundation Kesz has establish. The structure is built up on hope. Kesz and his team realize that simple things will bring happiness into the street children’s hearts. By giving the children gifts, the team is giving hope to children by providing them with small things we take for granted. The gifts bring the children joy and hope because they can’t afford these things, and when Kesz gives it to them it makes them feel as if they are loved and noticed by society- as if everyone hasn’t completely ignored them. This lets the children know that they can have a bright future, away from the streets, so they don’t have to forage for food and water their whole lives.
Kesz, along with his team at Championing Community Children, continue to educate street children and give them hope. Kesz wants all the children to lead a healthy lifestyle so they won't be prone to diseases. By doing this, Kesz is giving them hope for the future and offering them an avenue to gain knowledge of the world. Kesz knows how lucky he was to be given a second chance in life, he wanted to give the other children a chance to lead a healthy life. His hope is that the children he is passing his knowledge to, will educate others about hygiene. Kesz was a deserving recipient of the Children’s International Peace Prize in 2012, as he teaches everyone around the world that we must be the voice of the voiceless.
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