It is the picture of determination — a little boy studying beneath a streetlight at a makeshift desk on a city sidewalk.

His name is Daniel Cabrera, a 9-year-old who, according to his mother, has always been dedicated to his schoolwork.

Daniel and his two siblings have been living in a shack behind the store where his mother works ever since their house burned down five years ago. The family, who reside in Mandaue City, Philippines, has been getting by on her small wages—less than two dollars a day—since then.

Now, their luck is changing a bit, thanks to a college student, Joyce Gilos Torrefranca, who posted photos of the inspiring scene on Facebook.

I got inspired by a kid ❤️

Posted by Joyce Gilos Torrefranca on Tuesday, June 23, 2015

I got inspired by a kid ❤️

The pictures were shared more than 9,000 times, inspiring reporters to go looking for the boy.

People are now donating money and school supplies to Daniel, and a local politician has even given the boy a scholarship to pay for his education through college.

"I didn't think that a simple photo can make a huge difference," Torrefranca wrote on Facebook. "Thank you guys for sharing the photo. With that, we were able to help Daniel in reaching his dreams."

Daniel said he wants to become a policeman when he grows up, "to help the Philippines" and return the favor for those who have been reaching out to help him.

(READ more at ABS-CBN) – Photo: Joyce Gilos Torrefranca on Facebook

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