PEDRO OPEKA, MY HERO
My hero is Pedro Opeka, known as Father Opeka. He is 67 years old. Opeka is a Catholic priest from Argentina working as a missionary in Madagascar. Opeka was born in Argentina, in Buenos Aires, to Argentine Slovene parents. His father was from Begunje near Cerknica, his mother is from Velike Poljane near Velike Lasce.
Pedro Opeka has dedicated his life to helping people living in rubbish dumps in Madagascar. He believed that something could be done. He is the founder of the Akamasoa humanitarian organisation (meaning the good friends). Akamasoa has helped about 300 000 people and built several villages where they can learn, work, and live in dignity. They have received food, clothing and medical help. Over 23 000 garbage people have started a new life in 18 clean villages. In four hospitals over 35 000 patients were treated. He has been able to send 7000 children to school, without any funding.
Pedro Opeka is very important to me, because he decided to devote his life to giving hope and help to those who need it most. He met people living in a garbage dump, surviving only on the food they were able to scavenge. But he has dedicated his life to fighting a battle against poverty.
I found an article about Pedro Opeka: Slovenia Nominates Missionary Opeka for Nobel Peace Prize. All Slovenian people have the same opinion about Pedro Opeka: He has to win Nobel Peace Prize. He is one of the greatest humanitarians of modern times. He has provided for the children a good education, daily meals and the assurance of a better future. There is no formula to get out of poverty, but he has worked years long humanitarian activities in one of the poorest countries in the world, giving them back human dignity and helped them to social inclusion.
Page created on 5/29/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 5/29/2016 12:00:00 AM