Chen Shu-chu (陳樹菊), the Taiwanese vegetable seller recently chosen by Forbes Asia as one of the most generous givers in the Asia-Pacific region, says she wishes to keep out of the spotlight.
She was busily picking out vegetables in Taitung's central market when she was informed of the news by reporters on Friday.
“Helping people is nothing. Anyone can do it. There isn't much to talk about,” was all she said when asked by reporters for comment.
Chen, 59, started selling vegetables when she was 13. She dropped out of school to support her seven-member family after her mother died.
Her deeds were first publicized by the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister paper) in a report on Dec. 13 about her plan to save NT$10 million (US$312,000) to set up a fund this year to help the poor with food, education and healthcare.
Prior to that, she had donated NT$1 million for a children's fund in 2004, and NT$4.5 million to help build a library at the school she once attended. She had also given NT$1 million in 2006 to the Kids Alive International orphanage and NT$36,000 annually to support three orphans there.
Three other Taiwanese made it to the list of 48 honorees: Thomas Lin (林宏裕), a professor at National Taipei University of Technology and chairman of Sunlight Electronics Laboratory; Pan Shi-yuen (潘思源), chairman of the San Francisco-based developer Pan Pacific Ocean; and Tsai Hong-tu (蔡宏圖), chairman of Cathay Financial Holding Co.
Lin, who has donated NT$240 million over 31 years, also kept a low profile when approached by reporters for comment.
Pan donated NT$100 million to his alma mater, National Chengchi University, last March, the highest single donation to the university. He promised to donate up to NT$10 billion over his lifetime.
Pan expressed his thanks to everyone via a friend of his when asked for comments on the honor, while Tsai, honored for donating US$3 million to post-Typhoon Morakot relief efforts and for giving US$7.8 million to National Taiwan University's College of Law in 2003, did not comment on the honor.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY REUTERS
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