TEDxXavierSchool - Tony Meloto - Building homes, building lives, building nations
Channel: TEDx Talks
Date: 2012-03-14

How does home security for the poor relate and contribute to national development? In this wisdom-filled talk at TEDxXavierSchool, Tony Meloto shares his views on how moving cement blocks, putting pieces of wood and steel together, and hammering nails move countries up toward progress.

Antonio Meloto Jr., known as Tony to most people, is the Founder and Chairman of Gawad Kalinga, a global movement that builds integrated, holistic and sustainable communities in slum areas to help alleviate poverty. Born to a lower middle class family in Bacolod City, Tony was a consistently diligent student and was awarded the American Field Exchange Scholarhip to De Anza High School in California. Upon graudating from the Negros Occidental High School, Tony was offered a place at the Ateneo de Manila University on a full scholarship. After receiving an AB degree in Economics, Tony joined Procter and Gamble's purchasing department, then later on became a full-time mission worker in Couples for Christ after setting up his own printing and trading company. It was during his stint at Couples for Christ when he conceived Gawad Kalinga. A receipient of countless awards including the Ozanam Award and the Japan Nikkei Asia Prize for Regional Growth, Tony is also a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Community Leadership, was a Plenary Speaker at the World Economic Forum for East Asia in Indonesia, and was invited to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

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