The photo of a lone Filipino child on the street, crouched over a makeshift desk under the light of a streetlamp and the storelights around him, doing his homework, went viral and many hearts went out to the young child who simply had nowhere to go.
With the picture putting faith back in humanity, Filipino citizens in the area where the boy lives began pooling their money and donations together, tracked down the child, and offered him an opportunity of a lifetime: a scholarship for him and assistance for his family to set up their own business and create a better life for themselves.
The photo of the boy, whose name is Daniel Cabrera, was snapped and initially uploaded to Facebook by Joyce Torrefranca, who said she shared the photo of the third grader because she was inspired by him.
I got inspired by a kid ❤️
Posted by Joyce Gilos Torrefranca on Tuesday, June 23, 2015
According to reports, Daniel's family had no permanent home and was struggling to make ends meet with a combined salary of just $1.77 a day.
After the photo went viral and his story was picked up by local and international news outlets, donations started pouring in.
Rep. Samuel Pagdilao, a local politician in the Philippines, has reportedly given Daniel a scholarship, while some sponsors have given grants to his mother to start her own business in addition to food and money they received to help them get back on their feet.
A local TV station also reported that law enforcement and social services were looking into more ways of helping the family.
"We're overjoyed. I don't know what I will do with all of these blessings," Christina Espinosa, Daniel's widowed mother, told the Associated Foreign Press. "Now, Daniel will not have to suffer just to finish his studies."
In an interview with a local radio station in Mandaue City, Philippines, the nine-year-old Daniel said that he has dreams of becoming a police officer when he grows up.
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