Homeless boy uses light from McDonald’s to do homework

Picture of homeless boy forced to do his homework on a pavement in the Philippines goes viral

A picture of a homeless boy in the Philippines who used a light from a McDonald’s restaurant has gone viral on social media with many people lauding the boy as an ‘inspirational figure’.

The boy, Daniel Cabrera, was spotted by med student Joyce Torrefranca as he worked away on a pavement in Manila.

No chair, no table, no problem--Daniel Cabrera is determined to study: http://t.co/bzHIiFskAx#inspiring #motivation pic.twitter.com/HR4jc70HMI

— TeleDevelopmentPH (@TeledevPH) June 30, 2015

Joyce then posted the image of Daniel on Facebook, saying that he “inspired” her to work harder.

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Since then, the picture has been shared thousands of times with people reflecting on how often basic living standards are taken for granted.

According to reports, Daniel’s home burnt down and his father died in the fire. He is often seen begging with his mother in the same area but shows  determination to get an education.

I applaud #kmjs10 for its relevance. This kid is Daniel Cabrera who teaches usna aral muna over everything. pic.twitter.com/u46EguVrq0

— kissmarky 💋 (@kissmarky) June 28, 2015

"As a student, it gave me an inspiration to work harder. I'm fortunate my parents were able to send me to school. I seldom go to coffee shops to study, but this kid just hit me,” Torrefranca told Rappler.

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“You really don't need much, you just have to be determined and focused on the things that you want to achieve."

One of Daniel’s teachers, Rosalina Detuya, described him as “a happy child”.

“He is also intelligent and actually answers during class discussion, he really participates”, she said.

This article originally appeared in The Telegraph.