Lester Cavestany » Blog Archive » Filipino Social Entrepreneur Honored, World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, and Jean-Henri Dunant Quote (Perlas)

Newsmaker: Filipino NGO President Now a World-Class Social Entrepreneur

Asia Foundation organized a celebration party on Tuesday at the Sofitel Plaza to honor “anti-human trafficking activist” Cecil Flores-Oebanda for being the first Asian to be recognized as a “social entrepreneur” by the Skoll Foundation . Oebanda now joins the ranks of other world-renowned heroes - the likes of 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus (Banker to the Poor), John Wood (author of “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World) and e-Bay first president Jeff Skoll (founder of the Skoll Foundation).

Oebanda received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in March 2008. The award comes with a $1-million grant for her Visayan Forum Foundation (VF) - a non-governmental organization she started in 1991 to promote and protect the welfare of marginalized migrants such as domestic workers, trafficked women and abused children.

Let’s hope that this award will help open more doors for funding and partnerships for VF and more recognition for Cecil Flores-Oebanda. If you would like to volunteer or donate to VF, send an email to visforum@pldtdsl.net or call (63-2) 709-0711 or (63-2) 709-0573 .

Quote of the Day: Jean Henri Dunant

“Here is a hand-to-hand struggle in all its horror and frightfulness; Austrians and Allies trampling each other under foot, killing one another on piles of bleeding corpses, felling their enemies with their riffle butts, crushing skulls, ripping bellies open with sable and bayonet. No quarter is given; it is a sheer butchery; a struggle between savage beasts, maddened with blood and fury. Even the wounded fight to the last gasp. When they have no weapon left they seize their enemies by the throat and tear them with their teeth” — Jean Henri Dunant (May 8, 1828 - Oct 30, 1910), from his book, A Memory of Solferino, an account of his own experiences in the Battle of Solferino. In 1863, his book inspired him and 4 other Swiss nationals to start the International Red Cross Committee to provide immediate assistance to victims of wars and disasters. Dunant was the co-recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.

Life is Fun: World Red Cross and Crescent Day

Today is World Red Cross and Crescent Day and we honor all Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide for their efforts in assisting the relief of human suffering in war-torn or disaster-affected areas. This year’s theme is ‘Together for Humanity’. Here’s a story about a man who sees the Red Cross a bit differently:

A man and his family were trapped in their house at the height of war bombings. The Red Cross arrived by helicopter. One of the rescuers shouted down the chimney, “It’s the Red Cross!”

There was a pause for a few seconds before the man replied, “We don’t have any money!”

The Power of the Word

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. - Psalm 16

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About this post:

This is the daily post of Lester Galvez Cavestany entitled Perlas. The information here is presented to you in bite-sized servings so that it’s quick and fun to read. It has four parts: 1) Newsmaker - news and views that matter to you; 2) Quote of the Day has history, quotes and biography tidbits; 3) Life is Fun gives you a healthy dose of medicinal laughter; 4) And lucky last, we have The Power of the Word which can serve as your daily spiritual bread.

If you enjoyed reading this post, come back to this site every day and be sure to share Perlas with your friends.

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References:

Newsmaker:

http://www.visayanforum.org/aboutus.php

http://www.globalripples.org/?cat=7

http://www.skollfoundation.org/aboutsocialentrepreneurship/whatis.asp

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=135122

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS116849+11-Mar-2008+PRN20080311

Quote of the Day:

http://www.answers.com/topic/henry-dunant

http://reachpersonalities.blogspot.com/2008/03/henry-dunant.html