A sausage thief has made nine-year-old Chiayi resident Tsai Shu-ting (蔡淑婷) want to study harder so she can become a prosecutor one day.
Tsai is among 32 students who received commendations and stipends from the Chiayi City God Temple (嘉義市城隍廟) on Sunday.
Tsai has been raised by her grandparents since she was eight months old, after her father reportedly abandoned the family and her mother died of illness.
Photo: Wang Shan-yen, Taipei Times
Speaking at the award ceremony, she said her grandparents operate a food truck and do odd jobs to make a living.
Someone broke into the truck in April, stealing 300 sausages and the freezer, which made her determined to become a prosecutor one day so she could help provide justice for the downtrodden, she said.
“The thieves are despicable. I hope to become a prosecutor when I grow up to catch those bad guys,” she said.
Her grandfather, Tsai Mao-yuan (蔡茂源), said the theft was a blow to the family because they did not have enough money to be able replace the stolen and damaged equipment and they are surviving on government subsidies.
However, he said he had told his granddaughter that the thief might be even poorer then they are and they should not mourn the loss of mere possessions.
His grandchild is smart and hardworking, he added.
She had previously been commended by her school, Chongwen Elementary School, for good conduct and reading competency.
Temple manager Yeh Yuan-chu (葉源助) said the temple’s education fund prioritizes children from single-parent and low-income families or those with elderly breadwinners.
Elementary students receive NT$2,000, junior-high students receive NT$4,000 and those in senior-high receive NT$60,000, Yeh said, adding that a total of NT$200,000 was given out.
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