“You are the change that you dream”
Efren Geronimo Penaflorida Junior is a teacher and social worker in the Philippines. In 2000 he graduated from San Sebastian College with a computer technology degree, with the highest honors. He is the founder of Dynamic Teen Company, which is geared towards averting teen boys from being the victims of gangs and drugs, to education. As a result of his hard work towards charity, he was nominated for the CNN heroes in 2009 and won first place among the top ten CNN Heroes nominees.
Efren Penaflorida grew up near an urban slum in Cavity City in Philippines; where the children play near the city’s open dumpster and polluted water. At this early age was among thousands of World Vision’s sponsored children. Later, a youth group called Club 8586 helped him financially to complete elementary and high school.
In 1997 at age 16, he started a youth group within his high school by gathering 20 student members, aiming to divert the attention of young teens that are vulnerable to gangs and drugs by turning their attention to books, studies, and other activities; and later named their organization Dynamic Teen Company. He provides kids in the slum with all the utensils that their families can’t afford, such as pens, pencils, books and other school supplies.
Now, he works as a teacher at a private school to support his family and does volunteer work on the side. He and his members bring push cart with books every Saturday bringing the class room to the slum and getting kids to read and write. He works with Club 8586 and other various charity organizations in the region to help teens and young children to build their lives with a solid foundation.
Efren says his dream is to build a school to for these children.
Video Link: http://bit.ly/1NRjdT
Efren Penaflorida grew up near an urban slum in Cavity City in Philippines; where the children play near the city’s open dumpster and polluted water. At this early age was among thousands of World Vision’s sponsored children. Later, a youth group called Club 8586 helped him financially to complete elementary and high school.
In 1997 at age 16, he started a youth group within his high school by gathering 20 student members, aiming to divert the attention of young teens that are vulnerable to gangs and drugs by turning their attention to books, studies, and other activities; and later named their organization Dynamic Teen Company. He provides kids in the slum with all the utensils that their families can’t afford, such as pens, pencils, books and other school supplies.
Now, he works as a teacher at a private school to support his family and does volunteer work on the side. He and his members bring push cart with books every Saturday bringing the class room to the slum and getting kids to read and write. He works with Club 8586 and other various charity organizations in the region to help teens and young children to build their lives with a solid foundation.
Efren says his dream is to build a school to for these children.
Video Link: http://bit.ly/1NRjdT
