Archives4 ROC citizens in Forbes heroes of philanthropy list Chang Yung-fa, founder of shipping and airline conglomerate Evergreen Group, is one of Forbes Asia’s 48 notable philanthropists for 2012. (CNA)
A total of four ROC citizens, including a janitor and high-profile entrepreneurs, were named Heroes of Philanthropy by Forbes Asia magazine June 20. The honored givers are Chao Wen-cheng, Chang Yung-fa, Steve Day and Shi Wen-long. Chao, a 68-year-old part-time cleaner who works at an iron factory in Taichung City, has been donating most of his modest income to charity organizations such as the Taiwan Fund for Children & Families, World Vision Taiwan and Tzu Chi Foundation since he was 35. Over the decades his donations have amounted to US$135,000. “Caring for others soothes me,” he said. “All I ask in return is that those poor children I support are given proper schooling.” Chang Yung-fa, 84, founder of transportation conglomerate Evergreen Group, announced plans early this year to leave his wealth to his foundation, which spends US$335,000 a month on charity projects, according to Forbes. Day, chairman of restaurant operator Wowprime Group, contributed 80 percent of his company shares to set up a foundation and increase an employee welfare fund in 2009. The foundation also assists 10,000 students from poor families each year. Shi, founder of petrochemical giant Chimei Group, started Chi Mei Culture Foundation in 1977, which runs Taiwan’s largest private fine arts museum and the world’s number one violin database, with a collection of 1,100 instruments, which “visiting musicians and local students are free to borrow,” Forbes said. For the fifth consecutive year, the magazine picked 48 philanthropists, four each from Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The list consists of big tycoons who have donated millions of dollars for a cause as well as little-known citizens who are extremely generous with their limited funds, Forbes said. (THN) Write to Kwangyin Liu at kwangyin.liu@gmail.com |