On 20 10/08 women's day, Chen Shuju must be one of the proudest women in Taiwan Province province. On March 5th, Chen Shuju, a 6 1 year-old vegetable vendor in Taitung City, joined 48 people, including mainland star Yao Ming and Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan, on the list of "Asia-Pacific Charity Heroes" in Asia Forbes magazine. Chen Shuju is also on the list of the 20 10/00 most influential people published by Time magazine on April 29th. According to Time magazine, Chen Shuju's most amazing achievement lies not in her extraordinary Excellence, but in her simple and ordinary generosity. "Chen Shuju brought the best gift to everyone in the project she donated. This is the model she showed."
It is reported that Chen Shuju sells vegetables for a living and usually lives frugally, but so far, she has donated nearly $320,000 to various institutions with her meager income. The money is used to donate to out-of-school children, orphanages, etc.
20 10 Chen Shuju was awarded the 20 10 Asian Hero Award by Reader's Digest magazine.
20 1 1 After the Double Tenth Festival ceremony, Aquarius Culture Publishing House published a book for her ("Chen Shuju-Extraordinary Generosity"), with a royalty of more than 600,000 yuan. Out of her own pocket, she collected one million yuan and donated it to the Red Cross for emergency assistance.
The priest around him and the Buddha in his heart
Chen Shuju made no secret that her goal in the first half of her life was money. She said that although people say that "money is not everything", she believed that money was everything at that time. Besides, it is good to have money! But when she really made money, Chen Shuju found that she was not happy because of it, and the days did not jump as she imagined. Because she doesn't like spending money and has no interest in expanding her career, a food stall is enough for her. She suddenly found that the money was in the hands of unwanted people. Just a number.
A careful study of the story of Chen Shuju, which people talk about today, will reveal that there are actually many little people who inadvertently influenced Chen Shuju.
Chen Shuju said that her first donation was 6,543,800 yuan (about 230,000 yuan) in the name of her late father. Although she was basically out of poverty at that time, by today's standards, the amount is still not small. "Everyone likes different things, and everyone uses money in different ways. Some people like to buy a Mercedes-Benz to drive, which is very cool. But I will think, if the money is used for fun, it is gone. Unfortunately, it is better to donate. " Chen Shuju said that she has gained a lot since she began to help others. "The feeling of happiness can't be described now: very calm, very happy, and happy from the heart."
By chance, Chen Shuju, a vegetable seller, met Fu John, the founder of Anisef Children's Home in Taitung. A native vegetable vendor in Taiwan Province Province who believes in Buddhism and an American pastor who believes in Jesus seem to be parallel, but they know each other because of kindness and kindness.
1969, John, a shepherd of the American "Anisef General Association", came to Taitung where resources were scarce and founded "Anisef Children's Home". First, we help polio children get out of the shadows. With the improvement of medical conditions in Taiwan Province Province, we began to accept children with physical and mental disabilities who suffered family changes and lacked care.
Chen Shuju recalled in her autobiography, "About thirty years ago, an American often came to me to buy food. Once, he noticed that my hands were strange and asked me to show them to him. After reading it, he said that he could help me operate it. "
"The best thing is that the operation is free, free!" Chen Shuju, who lost two close relatives after having no money to see a doctor, was deeply impressed. Chen Shuju believes that just because she knows how to buy food, she must help her treat her illness. This man has a good heart. Therefore, she decided to help Anisev's children.
Chen Shuju said that Fu John became his role model. She wants to see for herself whether she can help others with compassion and selflessness like John Fu. I didn't know until I asked. Donating money to adopt a child costs 1000 yuan per month, and three children costs 3,000 yuan. Donate 1 0,000 yuan every day, which can take care of three children.
Chen Shuju grew up in a poor family and developed the habit of being extremely economical. All expenses in one day were less than 100 yuan. I was very distressed at first. Later, I forced myself not to think, not to count, and put my money in the tin can every day. Over time, it becomes a habit. This habit continues to this day. In addition to adopting children, in 2006, she also donated 6,543,800 yuan to Anisev.
It is worth mentioning that this money was borrowed by Chen Shuju. Chen Shuju said that she had just 654.38+00,000 in her hand at that time and thought she could help the hospital. The hospital thought it was only tens of thousands of yuan, but it was shocked to hear that it was 6.5438+0 million yuan. They have never received such a large donation. But I didn't expect all the money to be taken away, and I didn't have enough money to donate. Chen Shuju, who is competitive, thinks it is her own business to take the money away. She has promised to donate money, so she must take it out and not break her word. So he gritted his teeth and borrowed 654.38+0 million from a friend to donate.
No one knew about it before Forbes magazine was published.
Chen Shuju once again met Li Guorong, who teaches in Renai Primary School, and donated 1 ten thousand yuan again. She recalled that Li Guorong, the nephew's class teacher, talked to her because his nephew was habitually late and his homework was sloppy. In the process of interaction, she felt that Miss Li was a teacher who really cared about children's education, and also reminded her of Huang Zhongshun, the class teacher who initiated fundraising to help the family tide over the difficulties when she was a child. Chen Shuju, who deeply believes in Buddhism, thought it was an opportunity to repay the kindness she received when she was a child, so she took the initiative to mention, "I have 6.5438 million yuan, and I want to donate it to Renai Primary School to set up an emergency relief fund to help those children who need help in an emergency like me. I don't want to ask for help, it will happen to any child again. " According to Renai Primary School, the emergency relief fund set up by Chen Shuju is very useful and has helped many people. Moreover, the principal is useless, and the interest is used to help people.
200 1, the handwriting is bigger, and it is 4.5 million at once. Chen Shuju found that the Renai primary school library seemed too small, only one classroom was big, so she asked, "How much does it cost to build a library?"
"I don't know, it should have cost a lot of money." The school also dare not speak.
"Tell me, as long as it is not beyond my scope, I will pay all the money." Chen Shuju said that if the funds are beyond the scope of ability, ask others to borrow them. If it is within the scope, you can handle it yourself.
As soon as the school saw it, she was worried that Chen Shuju might not be able to afford the huge sum, so she suggested that she could raise funds from outside businesses and find more.
Chen Shuju said that she always likes to rely on herself, not others. Spread out your hands and ask, "Is that enough?"
The school thought it was 500 thousand, "50 oh, more than that!" " "
"What 50, that's it!" Chen Shuju spread her palm again.
"500 oh, don't use so much, maybe not so much!" The school was shocked by Chen Shuju's generosity. The headmaster considered for a long time whether to accept such a large sum of money.
After more than four years, the library was built. This is the only three-story primary school library in Taitung. On the day of completion, she saw the library named after Chen Shuju, smiling, but tears almost fell.
More Chen Shuju
The exposure of international media has aroused the enthusiastic attention of political circles and media in Taiwan Province Province. Subsequently, Chen Shuju was invited to new york to receive the prize, and Jiu of Taiwan Province Province received the prize, and the Ministry of Education of Taiwan Province Province presented the prize. These news events have raised her story and appeal to the highest point. The legend of Chen Shuju has become a hot topic in Taiwan Province Province. Small charity stories in the media are also strung together. Doing more good for the society in which you live has become an important lesson for everyone in Taiwan Province Province to reflect on themselves.
Since Chen Shuju went to the United States to receive the prize, both online donations and small donations have surged several times or even dozens of times than usual. The most special place is that someone gave tens of dollars in coins. The remarkable increase in small donations reflects that Taiwan Province society has gradually changed from the original habit of "donating once for a long time and donating more at a time" to the concept of "donating less".
There are still many people who cancel planned activities or celebrations, or donate the money saved in another way, and some even donate red envelopes for happy events. Others evaporate cakes for charity sale and donate money to help others.
Chen Shuju said that she really didn't do anything. She donated money she didn't need to those who needed it. She doesn't need the money herself, and she has no children. Can she still take it underground?
She is more confident about her next goal-setting up the Chen Shuju Foundation. She said that she would set up a foundation to help those who are too poor to look down on the disease and help them eat, study and live. This time, she wants to do it for the society, and the scope is wider.
After donating the school emergency fund and the library, she often goes to the hospital because of physical problems. There, she saw the pain and helplessness of many people at the bottom, and the scene of her mother's death as a child resurfaced.
She decided to rely on her own efforts, spend three years to raise 10 million yuan, and even sell her house to set up a foundation. Because her story is very appealing, the social response in Taiwan Province Province is enthusiastic, and many people expressed their willingness to donate money to help her set up a foundation, so her original competitive character was shaken.
Chen Shuju said that she finally figured it out that exerting greater influence is her next task. It will be her new life goal to encourage society not to do nothing because it is small, to make more people willing to make small donations 50 100 to help people in need, and to make Taiwan Province Province a caring and charitable society.
The core of her daily work and life is the stall in the vegetable market.
"The best way to live is to finish what I want to do and then fall down at work. Live one day, do one day, and do it until the last day, so that I can live the most comfortably! "