Achievements

AEF Achievements for 2011

2011-12-16

1.Life Education Programs

(1)Gave life education speeches in schools and counseling services in the army

(2)Coordinated with the Cathay Charity Foundation for “Delivering Love to Prisons” Project

(3)Cooperated with the China Youth Corps to hold the “With Love in Your Heart, You Can Walk Unhindered and Can Walk Toward a Bright Future” life education school tour

(4)Held “Thumbs Up for the Youth!” Volunteer Project with the Jinhong Foundation

(5)Production of the radio show “Life is Good” in Leader Station operated by the Taipei Detention Center

Life education speeches in schools

Each year, the Ministry of Education invites guest speakers to share their inspirational and motivating life stories during the “Special Education Week” and “Life Education Week” to encourage students to overcome obstacles and value life. Ming Liu, CEO of the ADLINK Education Foundation, is one of the people that is frequently invited to speak.

Liu has delivered speeches on a variety of topics, including “My Life Turning Point”, “Colorful Life”, and “Opportunity Often Comes Disguised in the Form of Misfortune” and “Life is Good.” Students nowadays do not like to be lectured. Successful examples are more likely to catch their attention. Liu’s eloquence came from his experience hosting radio shows, which helped as he related his real-life stories. Through these stories he served as a role model for the teens.

Counseling services in the army

With the improvement in the system of military service in recent years, military discipline management is now more humanized. Trained counselors are available in the army to support mental health issues, which are given more support. Despite these changes, tough military training results in a high level of pressure and relationship problems or adaptability issues. These could be risk factors for suicide.

AEF offered counseling sessions in the army, sharing how the Disabled Performing Arts Group (DPAG) members overcame life’s hardships, to in order to help decrease suicide rates. Ming Liu, the group leader, encouraged the soldiers with his motto of: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Coordinated with the Cathay Charity Foundation for “Delivering Love to Prisons” Project Coordinated with the Cathay Charity Foundation for “Delivering Love to Prisons” Project

A majority of the inmates made excuses and blamed others for their failings. They accused their parents of inadequate parenting, and blamed their friends for luring them into committing crimes and society for being unjust. Yet, when they saw people with disabilities demonstrating great perseverance despite their physical impairments, they saw the emptiness of their excuses.

Real-life stories from people with disabilities, therefore, can have much more of an impact than speeches or lectures given by experts and scholars. To the inmates, they served as real examples of how to overcome life’s obstacles.

AEF’s primary mission is to “spread love” and change the world for the better, which can be seen in the activities and events the foundation took part in.

This year, seven correction facilities were visited by AEF, including Yilan Prison, Kaohsiung Women’s Prison, Ming Yang High School in Kaohsiung, Taipei Detention Center, Taichung Women’s Prison, Chuanghua Reform School and Chengjheng High School in Hsinchu.

A majority of the inmates made excuses and blamed others for their failings. They accused their parents of inadequate parenting, and blamed their friends for luring them into committing crimes and society for being unjust. Yet, when they saw people with disabilities demonstrating great perseverance despite their physical impairments, they saw the emptiness of their excuses.

Real-life stories from people with disabilities, therefore, can have much more of an impact than speeches or lectures given by experts and scholars. To the inmates, they served as real examples of how to overcome life’s obstacles.

AEF’s primary mission is to “spread love” and change the world for the better, which can be seen in the activities and events the foundation took part in.

This year, seven correction facilities were visited by AEF, including Yilan Prison, Kaohsiung Women’s Prison, Ming Yang High School in Kaohsiung, Taipei Detention Center, Taichung Women’s Prison, Chuanghua Reform School and Chengjheng High School in Hsinchu.

Cooperated with the China Youth Corps to hold the “With Love in Your Heart, You Can Walk Unhindered and Can Walk Toward a Bright Future” life education school tour

In addition to Ming Liu’s long-term advocacy for “life education” speeches in schools, it was the foundation’s hope that voices of its sponsored group, Disabled Performing Arts Group (DPAG), could be heard. With their extraordinary talents and skills, their distinctive method of delivering their speech stood out and caught the students’ attention.

With its increased growth in popularity, DPAG members were invited to begin public speaking in schools. AEF wishes to have more DPAG members assume the role of public speakers for two purposes: To increase the income of the speakers and to fulfill the demand of speakers with disabilities.

Ten school events were planned by the headquarters of China Youth Corps in 2011, including Ping Rong High School, Pu-Men Senior High School, Ying Hai High School, Chia-Yi Industrial Vocational High School, Da Chen Senior High School, Tongtex Secondary High School, Tung-Der Home Economics and Commercial Vocational High School, Yuanlin Home Economics and Commercial Vocational Senior High School and Dajia Industrial Senior High School.

Held “Thumbs Up for the Youth!” Volunteer Project with the Jinhong Foundation

This is the 15th year that Jinhong Foundation has supported youth care, particularly in elementary schools and junior high schools. The project, assisted by AEF, aims to promote life education among teenagers with the talents and sharing of stories of DPAG.

This year, the project took place in Chu Tang Junior High School in Changhua and Da-Dao Junior High School in Taichung.

Production of the radio show “Life is Good” in Leader Station operated by the Taipei Detention Center

The Taipei Detention Center accommodates the highest number of inmates in Taiwan. With a vision to have a positive influence on the inmates’ improvement in moral education and rehabilitation through light-hearted and inspirational programs, Leader Station started five years ago and was the first radio station to be established by a detention center.

If it results in a significant positive effect, Leader Station will break new ground and be the model for the establishment of future stations of its kind.

AEF was honored to take part in the production and hosting of the radio show “Life is Good” in the station. Ming Liu, CEO of AEF, has produced and hosted the show once a month since five years ago. Two to three episodes were made each visit, with each episode being 30 minutes. The show was podcasted during contemplation sessions on Tuesday nights.

The focus of the show in the first year was on timeless inspirational stories, while interviews of people with disabilities were conducted in the second year. From the third year to this year, disabled guests with recognized outstanding achievements have been invited to appear on the show.

2.Publications

Book launch of Miraculous Journey of Yuti: A Story about a Family with Severe Cerebral Palsy

Authors: Zhao-An Hu, Ya-Wei Du and Bo-Zhou Chen

Book blurbs:

“Even though I have heard about her condition, it’s totally a different story when seeing her in person. My shock comes from my compassion and sympathy. It’s heartbreaking to see someone so young have to endure so much.” – Ming Liu, CEO of AEF

“Looking at her walking into our campus facing the sun somehow moves me. This is a child given by God, just like an angel.” – Guan-Zhang Hu, Principal of Taipei School of Special Education

“The book describes how the family deals with and overcomes difficulties, and their trials and tribulations of taking care of their daughter in a realistic but relaxing and witty way. The love the family shows in the book infects the reader and makes them want to share the love in their heart. ” – Yi-Zhong Su, Chairman of DAIKIN Inc.

Filming a documentary of DPAGFilming a documentary of DPAG

Executive Producer: Hui-Zhen Yang

Film launch is expected to be released in 2012

The Disabled Performing Arts Group (DPAG) is the first performing group that consists of performers with different kinds of disabilities. For years DPAG has performed in domestic and international prisons, schools, hospitals and charity events. It is also the very first project undertaken by AEF to support love and charity. Each year, hundreds of island-wide performances are staged from small towns to big cities, particularly for disadvantaged groups, in the hope of inspiring and motivating children to overcome adversities with the performances and the performers’ life stories.

AEF was honored to invite Hui-Zhen Yang from Da Ai Television to be the Executive Producer of DPAG’s documentary. She realistically recorded the inconvenience caused by physical impairments of each of the members and their perseverance while coping with these difficulties. Their achievements in performing arts, such as playing musical instruments, singing, dancing and miming, will be shared with more audience, and more will be inspired and moved.

Second Edition of What is DPAG? Life stories of DPAG Members

Complier: Li-Hong Liu

Book blurbs:

“DPAG members have overcome pessimism of being disabled with optimism. They move beyond self-pity. DPAG is without a doubt a group of fighters in the promotion of life education.” – Harn-Fen Ni, Chairman of AEF

“The stories of the disabled are smeared with tears and blood. Their courage and achievements are admirable. God’s work is fully demonstrated through them.” – Chien-Shien Wang, President of the Control Yuan

“DPAG members’ book What is DPAG? is like a light in the dark. They share their life stories, and share hope and future with us.” – Ching-Feng Wang, Former Minister of Justice

3.Cultural Exchange Event

ADLINK Cross-Straight Summer Camp for Kids 2011

Even though this is a highly modernized generation, there still exists a huge urban-rural gap in both Taiwan and China. While children in the city are elated at the approach of summer vacation, children in remote areas might face having to work for their living, or may be forced to cope with their unemployed parents.

ADLINK Education Foundation was founded six years ago by ADLINK Technology Inc. with the mission to give back to society, and it has yielded substantial results. With the establishment of the branch office in Pudong in Shanghai, China, Jun Liu, Chairman of ADLINK Technology Inc., wished to provide cross-strait students from remote areas access to technology education, as well as an opportunity to increase the branch employees’ involvement in charity work. It was the foundation’s hope that ADLINK’s employees and the children who attend the camp could spend a wonderful summer vacation together, creating lifelong joyful memories for the children.

4.Scholarship

Fourth Annual Zhong-Xian Ni Scholarship Award

Zhong-Xian Ni stipulated in his will that this scholarship be awarded to children of ADLINK Technology Inc. and AEF employees with outstanding academic performance. Five scholarship recipients were awarded this year.

5.Promotion of Arts Education

Fourth Annual Zhong-Xian Ni Scholarship Award

Picasso Chang’s photography exhibition “Inspiration”

“A person’s spiritual state rather than their physical condition is needed for their lives to be colorful and to touch people,” said Picasso Chang, the photographer who captured 12 shining souls that were not limited by their physical impairment, but showed their astonishing achievements in performing arts. The dynamic power of the photos constantly reminds us of the unlimited possibility of life.