Its a matter of great joy and pride for all Nepali to hear the news of Pushpa Basnet awarded CNN Hero 2012. Pushpa Basnet, a 29 year old nepali women supports and takes every care of Children living inside jail with their parents, was a main contender among TOP 10 CNN Heroes 2012 declared this September. She was named CNN Hero 2012 in a special event at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Those Children who had no choice but to live inside the prison with their incarcerated parents got their "Mamu" in 2005 when she started a day care program for them, taking out of prison every day and returning them back to the jail. Now she even has a residential home for such children and has helped more than 140 children through her Non profit organization Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC).
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| Pushpa Basnet CNN hero 2012: from CNN |
She bagged the award through a nine week public voting on CNN.com and received $250,000 + $50,000->($50,000 is for all Top 10 heroes) to continue her praiseworthy efforts. She in her award winning speech even forwarded her message to her children, and all those who voted her. She said "Mamu is going to take you out from the prison, and you are coming to my place. This is for my children and back to my country Nepal. Thank you so much everybody who voted for me and who believed in my dream."
This is the sixth Hero awarded by CNN and a second one to our country Nepal, first being Anuradha Koirala, a social worker from Nepal (the founder and executive director of Maiti Nepal)- CNN Hero in 2010 for her drive against women trafficking to brothels.
It was a star studded night including movie stars like Susan Sarandon, Adrian broddy, Mario Bello, Viola Davis, Harvey Keitel, Rap Star Fifty Cent. There were also musical performance from American Idol Philip Philips and Grammy winning Ne Yo.
Proud of being a Nepali is what everybody felt with her win but I think there is an indirect message to all Nepali is that you don't need any post or power to start good things. You can start from very little and keep on doing it, there will be helping hands for your good cause and finally you will be recognized for your good not only in your country but in the whole world. Hats off to Pushpa Basnet. You deserve it. And I am so overwhelmed with your speech today that I listened to it many times. Here is what she said being awarded CNN Hero 2012.
