The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation on Saturday awarded scholarships to 510 students, including 10 honored as “golden examples.”
One of the 10, Huang Po-yan (黃柏彥), was born with neurofibroma, which has left him with partial hearing loss in his left ear, and, after an eight-hour surgery aimed at curbing the growth of a tumor, only half a tongue.
Despite the challenges he faces, the high-school senior said that he is preparing for the Ministry of Education’s General English Proficiency Test, which includes listening and speaking components.
Photo: Chou Hsiang-yun, Taipei Times
Through extensive speech therapy he has made great progress, and he has already passed several English-language oral tests, the foundation said.
Huang said that he was bullied throughout grade school.
Trying to live a normal life like anyone else meant changing his attitude, he said.
“Every challenge I overcome is another step forward,” Huang said.
Another of the 10 special honorees, Chiu Tzu-en (邱子恩), was caught in an explosion four years ago while walking home that severely burned 36 percent of his body and left him with a ruptured ligament in his left leg.
Chiu’s dream has always been to become an engineer, and he has continued to study for that goal, despite his bandages, which made it hard for him to write, the foundation said.
Studying from his bed and wheelchair, Chiu was determined to graduate on schedule, it said.
“Rather than feel sorry for myself, why not think of a solution to my situation?” he asked.
He passed his university entrance exams and was admitted to National Central University’s computer science and information engineering program.
Chiu said he hopes to develop software applications to benefit society.
Founded in 1981, the foundation helps burn victims and those with from facial disfigurations with rehabilitation to help them return to a normal life.
It began awarding scholarships in 1983, but this was the first year it has recognized special awardees who stand out for their perseverance and positivity in the face of adversity, it said.
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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