Even while suffering from cancer, philanthropist Chen Chou (陳綢) has not slowed down in her quest to do good deeds.
On Monday, she set off on a bike trip with a group of children to extend their spirit of service across the country.
The 81-year-old native of Puli (埔里), Nantou County, is famous for her charity work, which has earned her the affectionate nickname of “grandma” from the public.
Photo: Tung Chen-kuo, Taipei Times
Chen led a group of 15 children on a 14-day “map diary of smiles — summer charity trip.”
The cycling team will travel south from Nantou to Pingtung and then up the eastern seaboard, before heading home.
To make the trip more meaningful, Chen and her young guns will provide community service in Chiayi in a Typhoon Morakot-stricken neighborhood and street-cleaning services in the famous vacation destination of Kenting. They will cap it off by sorting materials at a recycling station in Hualien.
Aside from a few sections on the expressways where the group will travel by train or bus, they will complete most of the trip by bike.
Fifteen students from National Chi Nan University will join them for part of the trip to help take care of the kids.
Before the group set out early on Monday morning, Chen gave each of the children a red envelope to wish them a safe and happy trip. Inside was NT$100 in lucky money and a walnut, which symbolizes good luck.
The average age of the group is 15, with eight girls and seven boys. Eleven of the children come from single-parent homes, or are raised by grandparents.
“I’m really looking forward to the coming two weeks and to completing this dream with my friends,” second-grade participant Huang Yen-ju (黃彥儒) said.
A parent, Wu Shu-hui (吳淑慧), thanked Chen for giving her kid a chance to learn to help others and called the event a life-changing opportunity for her child.
Chen is known in the country for her charitable deeds and for overcoming a life riddled with misfortune.
She was born to a poor family and was given up for adoption as a young child. She never received a formal education.
Chen was diagnosed with colon cancer 40 years ago and has since dedicated her life to charity.
According to local media reports, Chen sells glutinous rice dumplings to save enough money to build a temple and support her work.
The philanthropist established the Liang Hsien Tang Welfare Foundation and continues to help disadvantaged children and families with the money she makes from selling food.
The pains from more than 100 chemotherapy treatments has not stopped her trying to make the world a better place.
A domestically developed “suicide drone,” also known as a loitering munition, would be tested and evaluated in July, and could enter mass production next year, Taiwan’s weapons developer said on Wednesday. The yet-to-be-named drone was among nine drone models unveiled by the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) on Tuesday. The drone has been dubbed the “Taiwanese switchblade” by Chinese-language media, due to its similarity to the US-made AeroVironment Switchblade 300, which has been used by Ukraine in counterattacks during Russia’s invasion. It has a range of more than 10km, a flight time of more than 15 minutes, and an electro-optical
GOOD INFLUENCE: Kwan said his mother tutored him at home for a few years, saying that she had to protect his ‘creativity’ as his writing had suffered Director and coproducer of the Oscar-winning absurdist comedy-drama Everything Everywhere All at Once Daniel Kwan (關家永) on Sunday dedicated the movie to his Taiwanese mother, who he said supported his creativity growing up. “She is someone who sacrificed a lot for her kids,” Kwan, 35, said backstage at the Oscars. The movie, released early last year, received a commanding 11 nominations at the Academy Awards, and won seven, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing. Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, with whom he also directed the 2016 fantasy film Swiss Army
A bipartisan US congressional delegation arrived in Taiwan yesterday on a two-day visit that is to include meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other senior government officials, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The delegation comprises Republican US representatives and Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ken Calvert, Tom Cole, Dave Joyce and Mike Garcia, as well as Democratic US Representative Ed Case, the ministry said in a news release. Upon their arrival at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), the five representatives were welcomed by North American Affairs Department Director-General Douglas Hsu (徐佑典), it said. During their visit, they are to meet
The Taipei City Government on Wednesday introduced of a series of tourism promotions, including free sightseeing bus tours and hotel discounts, in a bid to boost the number of international visitors. From now until June 30, 10,000 free Taipei Sightseeing Bus tickets are to be made available to travelers who stay in designated hotels for two nights, cruise passengers and European visitors transiting for more than 15 hours, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said. Eligible tourists can ask for the free four-hour unlimited ride bus tickets by presenting their passports at the hotels they stay in or from the
RSS