In a world where there is so much selfishness and self-centredness, GK Youth is a response to the call to raise a new generation of heroes. A generation of young people who will give of their time, talent and treasure not for recognition or reward, but to see that justice is done. A generation who knows that those who are poor need not be, and devote themselves to doing the small things that make a difference. Or motto is :To live life, share hope and restore dignity. GK Youth is a about a change of heart for young people. Our hope is that young people can see that life is beautiful and live it to the full, that we can recognise all the blessings we have and share of them. The only way to be good stewards of those blessings is to share them with others... and they are multiplied a hundred fold. By being involved with social justice, young people can see for themselves how much they can do.. and see that those who are poor deserve so much more. By encountering the poor, working with them and seeing their lives improved, young people begin to see the blessings that they have in their lives, know that they can do so much. We invite young people and youth groups to be a part of the work and to make a difference. We believe that young people can do so much and be a part of the great work of alleviating poverty. Poverty Poverty is real. It causes more suffering and more deaths than any other disease. In third world countries, poverty begins a cycle of suffering, causing crime, addictions, famine and wars. To the child, living on the street, collecting garbage, eating scraps of food, or not eating anything at all, poverty is real. It robs people of their dignity, it extinguishes human life, it destroys hope. For those of us who are not physically poor, we suffer also from poverty. Spiritual poverty manifests itself in the lack of value of human life, social and psychological diseases, sexual abuse, childhood depression, hopelessness, drug use, youth suicide. Though we have all the opportunities, the young are losing their identity, their dignity, their purpose. Poverty is also OUR problem... not just theirs. Poverty is not caused by a lack of resources, but of selfishness. When we choose to ignore it, to think that the problem is too big, to believe that the problem is not ours, we become a part of the problem. What is Gawad Kalinga? Gawad Kalinga (GK) , translated in English means “to give care,” and it is an alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty not just in the Philippines but the world. Its approach is integrated, holistic and sustainable – a concrete action plan to rebuild this nation by harnessing the best of the Filipino – our faith and our patriotism. What started barely five years ago in the Philippines as a simple but daring initiative by Couples for Christ has now become a growing multi-sectoral partnership driven by a vision of a new Philippines with NO MORE SLUMS. Together with its partners, Gawad Kalinga is now in the process of transforming poverty-stricken areas, many of them now empowered to further improve their quality of life! And the heart-work of GK volunteers is evident in the beautiful colors of the GK homes that have been built for and with the poorest of the poor Filipino families nationwide. The transformation is astounding. Slums are disappearing. Rich and poor, Muslims and Christians, government and the private sector are building communities together. The poor are re-discovering their dreams, and are being empowered to build a better future for their families. The stories of how not only the poor but also the donors have been transformed continue to grow. Gawad Kalinga’s achievements are a reflection of the sharing among different classes in society, and the partnership involving all sectors of society – bridging the gaps that divide us as a people. We are also building International Villages, showing that poverty can be addressed if rich and poor nations learn to share resources to create a better world for all.