We have heard many stories of lives being changed as a result of the tragic terrorist attack that led to the collapse of the two World Trade Center Towers in New York.  Over two thousand individuals died in the attack on September 11, 2001. One death in particular, Marie Rose Abad's, changed the lives of many people located half way around the world. 

Marie Rose Abad and her Filipino-American husband visited the Philippines in 1989. The poverty they saw shocked them both. She vowed one day to return and help, but that day never came. 

In 2004, Mr. Abad donated over $60,000 and, with help from friends and volunteers, built 50 homes for families once living in shanties in a crime-ridden area in Tondo, Manila. They now call the place Marie Rose Abad Village. With the aid of an organization called Gawad Kalinga (GK), a term in Tagalog that roughly translates to “give care,” Mr. Abad was able to fulfill his wife's promise. GK has built thousands of homes; but the organization does not just build houses. Its main purpose is to establish a community among those houses. Moreover, the organization is able to build these communities from private and government donations. GK was awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2006 for all its good work. It is indeed a sad yet inspiring story.