(Toronto - November 6th, 2008) A Blue Ribbon panel made up of world leaders
and luminaries including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Jane Goodall,
Sir Richard Branson, Kristi Yamaguchi and Deepak Chopra has selected
Toronto resident Phymean Noun as a Top 10 CNN Hero. In its second year, the
CNN Heroes initiative acknowledges ordinary citizens accomplishing
extraordinary deeds. This year, CNN received nearly 4,000 submissions from
75 countries.
"I can't believe that CNN has selected me", Noun said. "It is amazing that
CNN has taken the time to produce a program to profile people who are doing
selfless work in the world".
Canadians have an opportunity to vote for Phymean and make her the "CNN
Hero of the Year." From now through Wednesday, Nov. 19, Canadians can vote
at www.CNN.com/Heroes.
The Top 10 and the "CNN Hero of year" will be honoured at the "CNN Heroes:
An All-Star Tribute" gala hosted by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper from the
Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The program will air on Nov. 27, at 9 p.m.
(ET/PT) on CNN.
Phymean's Biography
Four years ago walking down a street in Cambodia's capital city, Phymean
Noun finished her lunch and tossed her chicken bones into the trash.
Seconds later, she watched in horror as several children fought to reclaim
her discarded food.
Noun stopped to talk with them. After hearing their stories of hardship,
she knew she couldn't ignore their plight.
Within weeks, she quit her job and started the People Improvement
Organization (PIO) to give underprivileged children an education. Noun
spent $30,000 of her own money to get her first school off the ground.
Stung Mean Chey Centre (SMC) was PIO's first school and it was located near
the Phnom Penh municipal garbage dump. The workers at the dump were mostly
children, barefoot and shirtless, some as young as 4, who worked to earn
less than a dollar a day. These children were not receiving any education
before PIO started its center and were poor and illiterate with little
future prospects. Since 2004, 200 children a day have received a free
education from the PIO centre, giving them an opportunity for a better
life.
Today PIO has three centres, serving 600 children a day. The centres
provide free education, food, health services and an opportunity to be a
child in a safe environment. PIO believes that through education we can
improve the lives of the Cambodian people and help lift them out of a life
of poverty.
People Improvement Organization - http://peopleimprovement.org/
CNN Heroes - www.CNN.com/Heroes