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Chen Shu-chu | |
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 Chen Shu-Chu in 2010 | |
| Born | 1950 (age 74–75) |
| Occupation(s) | Vegetable Vendor,philanthropist |
| Political party | NA |
| Awards | Ramon Magsaysay Award (2012) |
Chen Shu-chu (Chinese:陳樹菊;pinyin:Chén Shùjú;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:Tân Sū-kiok; born 1950) is a Taiwanese retired vegetable vendor andphilanthropist known for her donations toeducation,healthcare, andsocial welfare.
Chen Shu-chu was born inYunlin County and moved toTaitung County at the age of seven. She completed her education at Jen-Ai Elementary School. Raised in a household of eight, she relied on her father's income as a vegetable vendor. Her mother died during childbirth because the family could not afford medical expenses. At 13, Chen became a vegetable vendor at Taitung Central Market to support her family. Her youngest brother died ofinfluenza in 1969 due to a lack of medical treatment, and her second-youngest sibling died in a traffic accident.[citation needed]
After her father died in 1993, Chen donated NT$1 million to Fo GuangBuddhist Academy. In 1997, she donated NT$1 million to her alma mater, Jen-Ai elementary school.[1] Later, she donated NT$4.5 million to Jen-Ai elementary school to build a library.
In 2010, she was listed in the 2010Time 100.[2]
As of 2014, she had donated over NT$10 million (equivalent to $350,000 American dollars or £210,000 British pounds).[3]
Chen adopted three abandoned children at theChristianKidsAlive International Association,[4] and donates NT$36,000 to the organization every year.
In 2018, Chen was invited to attend the flag-raising ceremony during the National Day of the Republic of China held byTaitung City Government. At the ceremony, she announced that she had donated her two life insurance policies to East-based Medical Foundation Taitung Christian Hospital andMackay Memorial Hospital Taitung Branch to set up the "Ms. Chen Shu-chu Medical Fund for Poor and Cancer Patients" and "Ms. Chen Shu-chu Medical Fund for Charities", respectively.[5] The two insurance policies are worth NT$16,000,000.[5] The insurer will pay the money upon Chen Shu-Chu's death.
In 2021, Chen donated NT$15 million in honor of her mother to create a fund to provide financial aid to pregnant women and scholarships to children who lose their mothers in childbirth.[5]
Chen is aBuddhist adherent and practicesvegetarian.[3] She has never beenmarried.[3][6]
In 2018, Chen retired after a bout ofappendicitis early in the year, and moved toKaohsiung.[7]
Sensational Kindness is a 2011 biography of Chen written by Liu Yung-yi.[6]
She was selected as one of theTime 100 for 2010 in the heroes category.[8] She was also one of the 48 heroes of philanthropy chosen byForbes in 2010.[9]Reader's Digest also honoured her as the winner of 2010 Asian of the year.[10]
In 2012, she was selected as aRamon Magsaysay Award winner.[11] She donated her US$50,000 prize toMackay Memorial Hospital.[3][12]
In 2018, the asteroid278986 Chenshuchu was named after her.[13]
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