Fifteen-year-old Heman Bekele, from Virginia, US, has been named the 2024 Kid of the Year by “Time” magazine and Time for Kids.
The teen scientist was recognised for making a soap that can treat skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Treating Soap is charged with immunotherapeutic drugs to fight the disease.
“It’s absolutely incredible to think that one day my bar of soap will be able to make a direct impact on somebody else’s life,” Bekele told “Time”. “That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”
His findings were inspired by his birthplace, Ethiopia, where he saw people working for long hours under the sun, exposing them to the risk of skin cancer.
His talent was discovered when he was seven years old. He and his family had moved to America and they were able to invest in his passion. A few years later, he was making headlines as one of the most intelligent children who had impactful ideas.
Many people on social media commended him for making affordable soaps that could help many.
“Some people care about profits and some people care about helping other people. This guy is a perfect example of the second type. I wish him well in his life and hope he never gets swayed by the first type,” said @SonyaParkes.
Another X user, @lerman_robert, said: “God bless this young man. What an amazing inspiring and incredible story. You are awesome Herman Bekele.”
Bekele has participated in the Young Scientist Challenge, where he first presented his cancer soap idea.