Hsiao Chun (not his real name) is a fifth-grade student at Taisi Elementary School in Yunlin County. Two or three years ago, his father passed away and his mother went to prison, so the boy and his older sister left Taichung and went back to Taisi Township to live with relatives. Unexpectedly, his maternal grandfather had a stroke, while his grandmother is disabled. All these things have made their lives very hard. With one semester about to finish, they are also getting worried about next semester’s school fees and living expenses.
Hsiao Chun originally lived with his parents in Taichung, but following these unexpected upsets, he and his sister went to stay with their maternal grandparents in Taisi. However, their grandparents are already old, so their uncle and aunt support and care for them most of the time. Two years ago, their grandfather suffered a stroke and was no longer able to take care of himself, so they had no choice but to send him to a care center, which costs NT$20,000 per month. As to their grandmother, she is 75 years old and has lost the sight of one eye, so she also needs looking after.
Hsiao Chun’s uncle has two infant daughters and drives a taxi every day to feed his family. The uncle’s wife also does odd jobs to earn money, but they still face hardship. With the addition of Hsiao Chun and his sister, their uncle has to pay the bills for eight people, and he is often so hard pressed that he can hardly catch a breath. Because the family owns an aged house in downtown Taisi they cannot register as a low-income household, still less receive government subsidies.
Photo: Cheng Hsu-kai, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者鄭旭凱
When Taisi Elementary School Principal Tai Hsin-lung found out about Hsiao Chun’s difficulties, he posted a message on the Internet asking kindhearted people to help out, in the hope that Hsiao Chun and his sister would no longer have to worry about their school fees each semester and living expenses. Tai says that when Hsiao Chun is at home, he often helps his uncle look after his grandmother. Tai wishes to collect a school attendance fund for the two children and hopes that members of the public will be so kind as to reach out a helping hand.
(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
就讀雲林縣台西國小五年級的小俊（化名），兩、三年前父親過世、母親入獄，他和姊姊從台中返回台西鄉依親。不料外公中風、外婆殘障，生活陷入困境，學期即將結束，又開始擔心下學期學費和生活費。
小俊原本和父母親住在台中，變故發生後，他和姊姊到台西投靠外公、外婆，而外公外婆年事已高，平時由舅舅和姑姑奉養。兩年前外公中風生活無法自理，不得不送往安養中心，每個月需要兩萬元安養費，而外婆已七十五歲且單眼失明，也需要人照顧。
小俊的舅舅有兩名年幼子女，每天開計程車維持一家六口生計，舅媽也打零工賺錢，但生活仍有壓力，加上小俊姊弟共八個人的開銷，舅舅常被經濟壓力逼得喘不過氣來。但因為有一間位於台西市區的老舊房屋，以致無法列為低收入戶，更無法獲得政府補助。
台西國小校長戴進隆得知小俊困境，在網路發文請求善心人士協助，希望兩姊弟可以不必為了每學期學雜費和生活費擔心。他表示，小俊在家裡常常協助舅舅照顧外婆，希望為兩姊弟募得就學基金，也希望社會大眾能發揮愛心、伸出援手。
(自由時報記者鄭旭凱)
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