supplies. volunteers brought the classroom to kids who were forced to drop out of school in the philippines. he was a teenager when he started the project in the slums to combat gangs and the bullies who threatened him at school. he hoped to engage kids through learning instead of violence. >> in 2009, when the cnn heros met me and the volunteers pushing the carts, people were laughing at us. they would discourage us. they'd say it's a waste of time. >> the cnn hero of the year is efren penaflorida. >> but after cnn heros featured us, it changed everything. >> you are the change that you dream, as i am the change that i dream. and collectively, we are the change that this world needs to be. >> efren says the heros recognition came at a time he needed support more than ever.