Buzz
As kids, we all had those superheroes we adored—characters we admired, imitated, and aspired to be. We dressed up as them, spoke their catchphrases, and lived in their world. As adults, we know that true heroes are hard to find, especially in a world so rife with negativity and moral decay. The disturbing reality around us has dulled our senses, leaving us largely unfazed by even the most appalling events.
SEE ALSO: 10 Incredible Real Life Superheroes
Fortunately, we don’t need superhuman abilities or capes to make a meaningful impact. All that’s required is a willing mind and a compassionate heart. Many of the individuals on this list, nominated as CNN heroes, have shown that even the most ordinary people can achieve extraordinary feats, making a lasting difference in the lives of others.
10 Doc Hendley USA
Lack of clean water and the diseases it causes result in more child fatalities each year than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. These stark statistics motivated Hendley, who was working as a bartender at the time, to raise funds by serving wine to support and promote water initiatives globally. Since 2004, his non-profit, Wine to Water, has been involved in projects across Sudan, India, Cambodia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Peru, South Africa, and Kenya, helping implement sustainable drinking water solutions for countless people. The organization also assisted in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake by installing water purification systems in affected areas. They train local workers to install purification systems, dig wells, maintain them, and more. So far, they’ve dug hundreds of wells in Cambodia, Africa, and Peru, always employing local workers to help boost the economy.
9 Jorge Muñoz USA
Jorge Muñoz arrived in the United States as an undocumented immigrant in the early 1980s and became a U.S. citizen in 1987. One night, after leaving a bar, he saw a group of destitute day laborers who were mostly undocumented immigrants. Moved by their plight, Muñoz discovered that many of these workers spent their nights sleeping under a bridge or in the emergency room of Elmhurst Hospital, all while sending money back home. Since then, he’s been cooking and delivering hot meals to dozens of these laborers in Jackson Heights, Queens, at 9:30 PM every night—rain, snow, or shine. It’s estimated that he has served over 70,000 meals since 2004. His entire operation is funded by the $600 he earns weekly as a school bus driver, along with donations. On August 4, 2010, President Barack Obama honored him with the Presidential Citizens Medal.
8 Aki Ra Cambodia
Aki Ra was a child soldier for the Khmer Rouge, forced to plant thousands of landmines and fight for the regime until 1983. During his military service, he received landmine clearance training from the United Nations, and it was there that he discovered his true calling. With nothing but a knife, a Leatherman tool, and a stick, he began to illegally clear and defuse mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the very regions he had fought in. His efforts garnered attention, and tourists began visiting his home to view the defused artillery. Charging a dollar for entry, Aki Ra established the Cambodia Landmine Museum. To open the museum, he had to stop his illegal demining activities but was able to start his own NGO, Cambodian Self Help Demining (CSHD), and gain certification for his life’s work. Over time, Aki Ra also adopted many of the children he found injured or abandoned in the villages he visited. Today, 29 children live at the Cambodia Landmine Relief Center.
7 Pushpa Basnet Nepal
Pushpa Basnet was a Social Work undergraduate when she visited a female prison in Kathmandu as part of a college assignment. The sight of the children living behind bars with their incarcerated mothers deeply moved her, prompting her to raise funds and establish The Early Development Center (ECDC) and Butterfly Home. These non-profit organizations offer a daycare program for younger children and a residential facility for older children, where they live year-round. Basnet’s organizations also assist with school enrollments, provide meals, and ensure medical care. Since 2009, she has also been teaching the incarcerated women crafts to help them generate an income to support their children. So far, her efforts have benefited more than 100 children.
6 Eugene & Minhee Cho USA
Eugene and Minhee Cho were always aware of the world’s inequalities. However, it was not until they began traveling and witnessed extreme poverty firsthand that they founded One Day’s Wages—a non-profit organization built on the principle of donating one day's wages to help those in need. In 2009, they made a powerful statement by donating their entire annual income to their cause, showing that they were willing to give before asking others to do the same. To date, their initiative has funded over 40 projects, providing nutritional support, HIV treatment, maternal care, clean water, life-saving heart surgeries, and education to hundreds of people worldwide.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Superheroes Who Struggle With Mental Health
Narayanan Krishnan, once a promising chef in India, had a life-changing moment when he witnessed an elderly, destitute man eating his own waste out of hunger. This disturbing scene led him to quit his successful career and found the Akshaya Trust. Within a year, he was committed to feeding and caring for the underprivileged and mentally disabled people in Mandurai, Tamil Nadu. Krishnan prepares and serves three nutritious vegetarian meals daily, often feeding the people himself, offering dignity and respect. He carries personal grooming tools like a comb, scissors, and a razor to care for his clients' appearances. Despite his selfless dedication, Krishnan has no income and relies on his parents for support. To date, he has provided over 1.2 million meals to India’s most vulnerable.
Marc Gold's life took a pivotal turn when, in 1979, he encountered a woman suffering from a severe ear infection in India. He spent just $1 on her antibiotics and another $30 on a hearing aid, which restored her hearing. This simple act opened his eyes to the profound impact of small gestures, prompting him to raise funds for his next mission by writing to 100 friends. Over the years, Marc has embarked on 22 missions across 67 countries, raising nearly $600,000 for supplies, ranging from bicycles to schools. As the founder of the 100 Friends Project, Marc seeks out needs in slums, hospitals, clinics, and orphanages, asking recipients to pay it forward by helping others.
In 1979, Marc Gold, while traveling through India, met a woman with a painful ear infection. He spent only $1 on her antibiotics and $30 on a hearing aid, which restored her hearing. This experience changed his perspective on the power of small contributions, and he later raised funds by reaching out to 100 friends. To date, Marc has visited 67 countries on 22 missions, raising nearly $600,000. His contributions have ranged from bicycles to mosquito nets, providing life-changing assistance. Through the 100 Friends Project, Marc helps solve problems in underprivileged areas, asking recipients to give back by helping others.
Marc Gold had an epiphany in 1979 when he encountered a woman in India who was suffering from a painful ear infection. After spending just $1 on her medication and $30 on a hearing aid, which restored her hearing, Marc realized how much could be achieved with little resources. Returning home, he wrote to 100 friends, seeking donations for his next mission. Since then, Marc has traveled to 67 countries, raised nearly $600,000, and provided aid ranging from bicycles to mosquito nets. As the founder of the 100 Friends Project, he continues to seek out problems in hospitals, clinics, and orphanages, asking recipients to pay it forward by helping others.
Razia Jan, a devoted humanitarian from Afghanistan, is dedicated to improving the lives of women in her war-torn country. She is well-known for her efforts to educate and empower Afghan women, providing them with opportunities they would not otherwise have had. Through her work, Razia has shown immense courage in a society where women often face severe limitations. Her unwavering commitment to human rights and social justice has made a significant impact in Afghanistan.
In 2012, the United Nations documented 185 attacks on schools and hospitals by armed groups opposed to girls' education. Razia Jan, an advocate for education, shares that incidents of girls being attacked with acid or poisoned occur daily. Despite the dangers, she continues to open the Zabuli Education Center every school day. This two-story building with 14 classrooms serves 354 girls from seven nearby villages, offering them a free education. To protect her students, Razia has surrounded the school with a stone wall, employs security personnel, and has staff who check the classrooms and the quality of air and water each day. Due to fears of poisoning, children are escorted to the bathrooms to ensure they do not drink tap water. The cost of one year's tuition for each girl is $300, which Razia covers through donations to her non-profit, Razia's Ray of Hope, based in the USA.
SEE ALSO: 10 Consequences Of Being A Superhero In Real Life
Betty Makoni's life story is one of immense resilience. After being raped at six and orphaned by nine, Betty survived through sheer willpower, working as a fruit and vegetable seller to fund her education. In 1999, she founded the Girl Child Network (GCN) to address Zimbabwe's child sexual abuse epidemic, especially among girls. Her organization has reached 35 out of Zimbabwe's 58 districts and established clubs in schools to educate girls about their rights and encourage them to report abuse. Additionally, she has created three “empowerment villages” to shelter victims of abuse, providing them with food, medical care, and education. Despite facing harassment and death threats from the government, Betty has saved over 7,000 girls—some estimates even suggest as many as 35,000—from sexual assault, child labor, forced marriages, and human trafficking.
Rick Hodes, a doctor based in Ethiopia, has devoted his life to providing medical care to those who need it most. His work has focused on treating children with heart defects and other serious health conditions in one of the poorest regions of the world. Through his relentless commitment, Rick has saved countless lives and continues to provide hope to many children and their families in Ethiopia. His work is an inspiration to those around him, demonstrating the power of compassion and dedication in improving the lives of others.
Rick Hodes, a physician in Ethiopia, has dedicated his career to helping children with severe medical conditions, particularly heart defects. For decades, he has worked tirelessly in some of Ethiopia's most underserved areas, offering life-saving care and creating opportunities for children who would otherwise face early death. His selflessness has earned him recognition as a true humanitarian, providing hope and healing to hundreds of children and families who would otherwise have been overlooked by the medical system.
In 1984, Dr. Rick Hodes traveled to Ethiopia to provide aid during the devastating famine. Initially planning to stay for just one year, he quickly recognized the severe needs of the people and realized his unique qualifications to assist them. He made the decision to stay, and nearly 30 years later, he continues to work at hospitals in Addis Ababa and Gondor. Throughout his career, he has helped tens of thousands of people, offering services like immunization, family planning, community health, nutritional support, and his area of expertise—spine deformities. Dr. Hodes also played a significant role in facilitating the safe immigration of 14,000 Ethiopians to Israel via an emergency airlift that took place in just 48 hours. His true calling, however, is volunteering at Mother Teresa’s Mission for the Destitute and Dying, where he provides care for critically ill children abandoned by others. Over the years, Dr. Hodes has adopted five children and supports and houses another fifteen, who he considers part of his extended family.
