From migrant workers and media freedom to housing slums, this book captures the gamut of social issues that plague Asia, telling the stories behind thirteen committed individuals who have effected great change in their respective causes.
These stories are about the behemoths such as Dharma Master Cheng Yen from Taiwan and Sir Fazle Hasan Abed from Bangladesh who lead some of the world’s largest nongovernmental organisations; to Aki Ra from Cambodia and Sompop Jakantra from Thailand whose smaller teams have saved hundreds of lives from landmines and prostitution respectively.
The social heroes portrayed have pursued seemingly quotidian causes that citizens of developed countries may take for granted, such as toilets in India, decent housing for the poor in Hong Kong, and mainly making life better for those whom society appears to have forgotten.
Reader Reviews
“The people working to address social issues are not always as well-documented as the issues themselves…it is important to bring an awareness of them into the mainstream media. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by societal injustice, but these stories show that even when you can’t count on your government to protect your rights, individuals working in social justice can make positive change.”
– Camille Neale, AWARE
“This book is an excellent snapshot of 12 Asian countries and their circumstances and challenges.”
– Cheong Suk-Wai, The Straits Times