A month and a little bit..

It's been 1 month since the launch of Our Daily Heroes :) And so far it has been really exciting for me to both receive and share the amazing stories of the heroes around the world who have impacted my friends! 


We'll be on a break for a few weeks to look for more unexpected Heroes and will be back in early January! Til then kick back, relax and enjoy the days of vacation bliss :)

Hero #5 - Peris, the Do-It-All Volunteer (Kenya)

Peris is a 28 year old Kenyan, a house mum who looked after us during my first volunteer trip in Kenya back in 2007. Any chance she could get off work, she would be up at the Children's Home, helping us look after the kids. She absolutely loves them!

Peris was the one who started Friends Vision and came up with the name. In 2009, we decided to do all this properly, so we contacted some other volunteers to raise funds to build a real home for our kids and get the ball rolling. 

We started a child sponsorship program with our kids, sending them to boarding schools around Kenya. We only started off with 4 kids, and it took both of us days to do all their shopping. Now we have 26 kids and Peris looks after all of them so well! 

She visits them on designated 'Parents Days' and cooks food for the kids all day. She does so much for so many people around the world and she has worked so hard this year to look after all of our kids and dealt with all the problems she came across (which has been a lot) and all for no money! but for the love she has for the kids :) 

Peris is our person on the ground, not only for our sponsorship program, but also our Children's Home. She is constantly making new contacts with charities in Kenya that we can work with. I'm looking forward to launching a new sponsorship program which will allow us to pay her and employ a few people to help out when the kids return to school and on 'Parents Days'.

She is such an amazing person, we would not be able to have our Children's Home if it wasn't for her. She's my Sister and an inspiration to not only myself but so many people around the world. She is truly my hero!

Contributor: Jannah Currie (Darwin)

Hero #4 - Candy, the Head Barista, Kinfolk Cafe (Melbourne)

Every morning, you can usually find me waiting in the queue for my caffeine fix at Kinfolk Café (673 Bourke Street, Melbourne). Operating as a social enterprise, Kinfolk is not only a place to grab a coffee or lunch selection from the handwritten menu. It is a place where you will find community, sense a unique warm and fuzzy feeling every time you walk in because of the staff and volunteers that keep the place ticking, and convert yourself from coffee aficionado to philanthropist with every sip of your latte.

I’m keen on this place. I love its values. I appreciate its warmth. I value their philosophies. I admire the way they operate. Their food is scrummy. And they make darn good coffee.

Head barista, Candy, is normally tucked away behind the coffee maker, so in between her lattes and skinny flat whites, I managed three quick questions to my Everyday Hero.

Every cup of coffee is made with love. Why?

It’s definitely because of the customers. I want to make sure they enjoy their coffee and the experience. Kinfolk is not just a café. It’s a community. And it’s awesome to be able to give back to our community and the organisations we support.

Did you want to be a ballerina when you grew up?

I’ve been in hospitality since I was 16. It was my first job and it’s now my career. I can’t think about doing anything else. I’m planning on opening my own fully sustainable café in Brisbane in 2011.

Is coffee an important part of your day and why should it be for everybody else?

I need to have a coffee to kickstart the day, otherwise I can get a little grumpy. For most people, getting a coffee is the first social interaction they will have each day. So for me, it’s really important to make it a positive experience. That’s why I’m committed to making great coffee and ensure a great vibe. 

Contributor: Tina Jensen (Melbourne)

Hero # 3 - Ted, the Cyclist (Malaysia)

This is Ted, an 80-year old grandpa from a small village in Netherlands who spends 6 months each year cycling in some part of this world. He was doing the South-East Asian leg when we happened upon him while cycling in Malaysia. He's just pure inspiration!

What this means to me is for some time now, I've wanted to write short stories which have a deeper meaning - of simplicity, love & happiness and I finally wrote my first one today based on my experience of meeting Ted..

(And yup, as you can see from his shirt, he said he really hasn't washed himself for a few days!)

Contributor : Ashwin Subramaniam (Singapore)

Hero # 2 - Dada Ramakrishna, the Orphanage Supervisor (Thailand)

This is Dada Ramakrishna (in pink), he has been in charged of the orphanage, Baan Dada in Huay Malai, Thailand (near the Thai/Burma border) for about 16 years. 

At the moment, Dada Ramakrishna is doing a solo walk from Huay Malai to Bangkok and maybe even to Phuket! to raise funds to build a technical school in Sangklaburi, the closest town, about a 20 minute drive from Huay Malai, so everyone has the opportunity for further education! He started on October 23rd and is writing a walking diary to keep us all updated. The last one I received was Day 9 - Oct 31st and he had walked 234 kilometres and reached Kanchanaburi (normally a 4 hour bus ride to the orphanage).

Personally what it means to me? I have spent a total of 2 months volunteering at Baan Dada over the last 2 years and have grown to love all the children there. These children are from Burma and the fact that they would be able to better themselves and their future, rather than just merely surviving would be amazing. 

Dada Ramakrishna is basically a father to 56 children and love that he is so unique and has no boundaries... shown by walking to Bangkok to raise money! This man is truly inspiring and has endured heat, countless blisters, mosquitoes, rain and just sheer exhaustion. He has also met wonderful people along the way who have showed him kindness in a room to stay or some food to eat! 

His spirit keeps him going while his body is slowly failing him.....

Contributor : Erin Sanocky (Melbourne)

Hero # 1 - Peter, the Crossing Supervisor (Melbourne)

This is Peter & he is a volunteer Crossing Supervisor, seen in the leafy suburb of Balwyn every morning. 

He helps pedestrians cross the road in peak hour traffic, especially those nasty left turns where cars more often than not do not pay much attention to pedestrians crossing the road. So what Peter does is when the light turns green, he blows his whistle, stands in the middle of the road & stares those drivers in the eye. According to Peter, 'Mam, I do my very best'! 

What this means to me is I was once knocked by a car on one of those left turns thanks to me being highly engrossed on the phone again. While it's no more than a shoe-flying & highly embarrassing incident, not everyone is as lucky, so thanks Peter! & every morning on my way to work, Peter offers simple but great conversations, a lovely smile & just what I need to kickstart the day ! 

Contributor: Veronica Yow (Melbourne)

About

An initiative to highlight the daily heroes in our lives; the ones you meet on a day-to-day basis or a once-off lucky encounter, someone who puts a smile on your face, someone who believes in what they do, someone who usually goes under the radar; unnoticed, unrecognised but inspires you.


Let's celebrate them, share their stories & say a simple Thank You! 


Starts with a Hero a week, first from Melbourne, then to the rest of the world, 365 Heroes in 365 Days eventually, share your Hero today!