McDonald’s Shines a Light on Learning

Heartwarming film by Leo Burnett Manila and Filmex Productions relates the remarkable story of a boy’s life being changed by a Facebook post.

Over a year ago, Daniel Cabrera, a homeless nine-year old boy in the Philippines, was photographed doing his homework by the light of a McDonald’s restaurant (below). Joyce Torrefranca, a medical student, had taken the photo after taking a break from a night of studying.

Inspired by his dedication to learning, she uploaded it to her Facebook page whereupon it went viral.

Riding the wave of the collective digital cry of “aw bless!”, McDonald’s set up an allowance for the boy to support his education through to high school. Donations also flooded in from sources all over the world.

With its touching Yuletide message of social-media love sharing, Leo Burnett's film outlines the dire financial straits Daniel’s family was in and his perseverence to finish schooling so he can become a policeman. At the end, a poignant reunion between Daniel and Joyce ensues over a simple meal.

Inspired parents, teachers and students have also responded positively to the story's affirmation of the value of education. Just three days after its release, the film had already clocked up almost two million views on YouTube and 121,000  likes on McDonald’s Philippines Facebook page.