DDM Social Welfare and Charity Foundation Sent Loving-Care at NTNU for Students from Myanmar

On December 21^st, 2024, at 9:00 am, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Social Welfare and Charity Foundation (here referred to as "the Foundation") and the Myanmar Lashio Guowen Secondary School Alumni Association in Taiwan organized the "End-of-Year Loving-Care Gathering for Myanmar Overseas Chinese Students" at the Linkou Campus of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), providing emergency care funds to 390 soon-to-be university students who came from Myanmar to Taiwan for undergraduate studies. Guests from all walks of life, including Wang Chien-shien (王建煊), former President of the Control Yuan, and Senior Inspector Chen You-jing (陳右菁) of Overseas Community Affairs Council, were also invited to attend the ceremony to express their wishes to the students.

Ven. Chang Xing (常惺法師), Secretary General of the Foundation, led more than 500 participants to recite a mettā prayer to pray for the safety and happiness of one another as well as their relatives and friends. To encourage the students who came from Myanmar to Taiwan for refuge and study, Ven. Chang Xing, on behalf of DDM Sangha, indicated that although the road of life might not be smooth, "there is always hope in the world." Ven. Chang Xing further encouraged them to cultivate resilience as they learn to cope with the challenges in life, just like navigating through storms on the sea; after weathering the storm, their mental capacity will be as vast and open as the ocean and the sky. He also exhorted them to sow the seeds of virtues and establish good relationships with others, which will in turn lead them to a bright future.

Ke Yau-bi (柯瑤碧), the President of the Foundation, hoped that the donations of winter clothes and funds would help the students to focus on their studies instead of the struggle for subsistence. She also wished the students success in fulfilling their dreams. Wang Chiung-ju (王瓊珠), the Vice President of the Foundation, also made a donation given the financial challenges that overseas Chinese students from Myanmar could face when they first arrive in Taiwan with little access to work. During the ceremony, the atmosphere was especially heartwarming when she and the representatives proffered the cash supplement offered by DDM to the students one by one.

Wang Chien-shien, the former President of the Control Yuan, encouraged the students to have great aspirations. He pointed out that as long as we work hard to realize them, the outlook will be optimistic, and we not only can achieve ourselves, but also help the people around us. Chen You-jing, on behalf of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, expressed her gratitude to DDM for providing scholarships and emergency assistance funds over the years to the students from Myanmar facing financial difficulties due to the disasters in their hometowns. This year, a special grant of 1.2 million New Taiwan dollars for emergency care funds was made by DDM to students in urgent need of financial assistance, who were thereby impressed by the warmth of the Taiwanese people. President Jang Shiue-chu (張學初) of Lashio Guowen Secondary School Alumni Association in Taiwan exhorted the students to cherish the resources by dedicating themselves to their studies. On behalf of the Burmese alumni, he also thanked the Foundation for passing on the kindness from all walks of life to benefit the students.

"We will repay such kindness by serving our country, and dedicate ourselves to the people and society as a whole." Shiau Feng (蕭峰), the President of Taiwan Myanmar Oversea Chinese Students Association of NTNU's Academy of Preparatory Programs for Overseas Chinese Students, thanked the professors and senior students not only for showing their care for the lives and studies of the juniors overseas students in Taiwan, but also assisting them in applying for resources for overseas students. This year, it is especially difficult for most students to come to Taiwan for study due to the warfare in Myanmar. In the face of financial challenges, they feel grateful for the scholarship for the underprivileged provided by the Foundation, which warms their hearts during their first winter in Taiwan.

Wang Gen-chin (王根芹) shared her encounters with war and natural disasters in Myanmar. After coming to Taiwan to study, she faces financial stress due to living expenses such as dormitory fees. Therefore, she is especially thankful for the kind people in Taiwan who have sent help in their hour of need and brought hope and warmth to them.

"This invaluable financial assistance has given me the opportunity and strength to continue my education, thus enabling me to proceed forward," said Pu Yung-ying (濮永盈). She indicated that this care is supportive not only financially, but also mentally. She will turn this support into motivation for progress, hoping to pass on this love and altruistic spirit to help more people in need in the future.

As shared by Li Shiau-fu (李孝富), who came to Taiwan 35 years ago as an overseas student from Myanmar, many students from Myanmar did not have adequate clothing for winter in Taiwan because they were from tropical regions and their families were economically disadvantaged. The Alumni Association thus has been collecting winter clothing for the students every winter. The number of overseas Chinese traveling from Myanmar to Taiwan has increased in recent years due to the social unrest caused by the intensifying civil war and natural disasters in Myanmar. He expressed his appreciation for the Foundation for its continuous help in providing students from Myanmar with resources, emergency assistance funds, and scholarships.



Original Chinese text / Fu Li-xian (傅莉嫻)
Photos / Chang Yao-chung (張曜鐘), Fu Li-xian (傅莉嫻)
Video / Fu Li-xian (傅莉嫻)
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL