Chen Shu-chu (陳樹菊), Time magazine award recipient and local vegetable vendor, yesterday received the Ministry of Education’s First Class Professional Education-Culture Medal.
At an award ceremony at the ministry, Minister of Education Wu Ching-chi (吳清基) lauded Chen as a model for the public, describing her as “out of the ordinary.”
Wu said Chen was the 18th recipient of the medal, adding that her predecessors included former Academia Sinica president and Nobel laureate Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), late presidential adviser and scientist Wu Da-you (吳大猷) and Taiwanese pitcher Wang Chien-ming (王建民).
Ministry information shows that Chen is also the first recipient of the honor who only has an elementary school degree since the ministry began to award the top educational honor in 1999.
Chen, 59, was chosen by Time magazine as one of its top 100 influential individuals, ranking eighth in the “heroes” category for her 20 years of donations to children’s funds, schools and orphanages.
Chen, who had never before traveled outside Taiwan, received the award in New York last month.
The minister said a civic group and a number of individuals, including the minister and Vice Minister of Education Lin Tsung-min (林聰明), had decided to donate toward Chen’s plan to establish a foundation.
“I am only an ordinary person. I am really embarrassed to receive this award,” Chen said yesterday.
Chen yesterday also received laser treatment for varicose veins in her left leg at Taipei Veterans General Hospital.
Chen had been suffering from the disorder for more than 20 years, her surgeon said.
She was allowed to return home after surgery and was expected to be back at work selling vegetables today.
Meanwhile, a survey of 608 people over the age of 16 conducted by the ministry between April 8 and April 10 showed that 29 percent had joined a charity event in their local community, while 66 percent said that they have made donations to international disaster relief funds.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA
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