13-year-old is bestowed with Humanitarian Act Award

A Filipino-Canadian teenager was bestowed a humanitarian act award for sharing her talents in various charitable advocacies.

Martina Ortiz-Luis looks like a typical 13-year-old but she is already a seasoned performer of many Greater Toronto Area events.

A strong advocate for charity since age 6, Ortiz-Luis raises funds for various causes like the Canadian Cancer Society, sick kids hospital’s Herbie Fund, typhoon Haiyan victims, and currently sponsors three children.

Her charitable works and natural gifts in singing and performing led to her role as a World Vision Ambassador.

“We wanted to work with Martina in our ‘Girl Rising’ film to support young women around the world who are telling their story. Second part was our ‘No Child is For Sale’ campaign where she was the voice for children who are in situations where it is dirty, it’s dangerous and very degrading,” said Paulette Kinmond, director, Supporter Development of Donor Development and Church Engagement, World Vision Canada.

 “This, the Fr. Andrew Cuschieri Award, it is given every two years to a student who shows or does a humanitarian act. I got this award for the ongoing work that I’ve been doing for World Vision as an ambassador,” said Ortiz-Luis.

 “I was very excited because I was invited to be part of that evening and just watching her be honored and acknowledged for the work that she has done in a very short period of time was simply amazing and very honorable,” Kinmond added.

She also got the award for donating 100 percent of the sales of True Friends, her first original composition, to World Vision.

“To accomplish all things that I have is incredible and I worked so hard for many of these accomplishments. But I still work hard to develop my singing skills, my musical skills, my performing skills and my academics,” the teenager said.

Her message to the youth is to “Find something that you love”.

“Work hard and develop it. And also, don’t be shy about your talent ’cause you never know you may be able to do good things about it. You can perform or raise funds for people who are sick,” she said.

Source: www.goodnewspilipinas.com