Dominican Republic doctor thanks Pembroke aid worker for help

A man from the Dominican Republic has made his way to Ottawa to say thank you to a group of volunteers who helped him become a doctor.

Ten years ago, Devlis Lucas Munoz shined shoes for a living. He lived with his family, who could barely afford more than one meal a day, in a home with a leaky tin roof.

But he found books and managed to teach himself some English.

Then he met Roger Perry, an aid worker from Pembroke, Ont., near Ottawa, and Munoz helped Perry with some translation.

When Perry asked what Munoz really wanted to do with his life, Munoz told him he wanted to become a doctor.

Seven years later, with the help of Perry and Acceso — an Ottawa-based organization that finds education money for students in countries in need of help — Munoz's dream came true.

He's now the only doctor in the small town he comes from.

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