Ana Dodson

"Be the change you want to see in the world- Gandhi"(Very Best Quotes). Ana Dodson follows this quote and lives it out. She changed the world when she was only 11 years old when she started an organization to help Peruvian kids. I think Ana Dodson is a hero because she started an organization that helps kids and she puts others before herself.

As a young child Ana has gone through many rough times. At the age of three she was adopted from a local orphanage in Peru. She moved to Colorado with her new adoptive parents. She was put into the orphanage right after her mother past away. Since she was only three and her real mother had past away she had no one to watch over her in Peru. She was happy and grateful for finding adoptive parents like hers. She said it was what most orphans dreamed of. When she was eleven years old, her adopted parents thought she was ready to take a trip back to Peru to visit her home country. When she was there they visited many orphanages. An orphanage is an institution that cares for homeless children, and another name for a orphanage is a children's home(World Book 457). She was surprised at how much poverty there was in Peru and she became sad. She couldn't believe that she once lived in that much poverty. Her parents said that she wanted to help all the children right at once. When they returned from the trip, Ana asked her parents if they could help. She ended up starting up Peruvian Hearts, a foundation that helps Peruvian children.

Peruvian Hearts was one of the greatest things that happened to the children at the orphanages that Ana was helping.Peruvian Hearts was founded in 2003 by 11 year old Ana Dodson. Peruvian Hearts is a United States based public charity. The headquarters for Peruvian Hearts is in Golden, Colorado. This organization provides many children money for education. It helps pays for the girls uniforms, school fees, and supplies for school. Ana helped set up a pen pal system with her Spanish class and the kids at the orphanages. She also asked many to donated money to help get a library program for the kids and she had a greenhouse built to grow food for the local community. Ana has put in a lot of hard work and dedication into this foundation. Her motto is "one heart at a time." Peruvian Hearts helps tons of children each day and it gives the kids a chance of hope.

In four years, Peruvian Hearts, operating as a family-fun charity has accomplished a ton. Many kids now are going to school and are starting their way out of poverty. Ana has been awarded for the success of Peruvian Hearts. Even though Ana is still a young hero, she has received many awards including; the Gloria Barron Prize for young heroes, the Kids with a Heart Award, the Prudential Spirit of Community Award. She also is a nominee for the Br!ck Award, which honors young people making a difference in the world.She has also volunteered for the Stop Child Poverty Campaign, to help raise awareness of child poverty. Ana is a great role model. She puts others before herself and makes a difference in the world. She has spoke to kids at schools all throughout the United States and she has spoke at the United Nations on the International Day of Peace and Peace Jam. Ana truly is an amazing person. She strives to help others that are in poverty.

Ana Dodson is a hero. She changed the world when she was only 11 years old, by starting an organization that helps the children in Peru that live in poverty. Peruvian Hearts has helped many of people in the community of Peru. She puts others before herself and I believe she deserves recognition for this. I hope someday I can do something as truly as inspiring as she did.