Taiwan excellence, sharing is caring: Winners revealed

Taiwan Excellence: Sharing is Caring, is a global philanthropic scheme created and coordinated by Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), Ministry of Economic Affairs announced the top three winning proposals today. And this year top three winner project proposals are; Solar Solutions for Indigenous Māori Communities (New Zealand), Educating and Empowering the Community through Mobile Kart (the Philippines), and One-day Medical Tour and Same-day Denture Delivery – Mobile Digital Denture Clinic & Oral Health Service Project (Taiwan).

The BOFT Director General Cynthia Kiang gave her opening remarks. She renewed the commitment of Taiwan Excellence global products. That the very essence of technology is to transcend borders. Shortly after, DG Kiang issued certificates virtually to the winners. She noted explicitly that sufficient disbursement of funds would be granted to the three selected proposals for onward execution and implementation. And that the cardinal focus of the scheme Sharing is Caring is to bring about goodwill and kindness at a maximal level to the targeted remote communities.

This year’s event entitled Sharing is Caring been a first time program, swept off the feet of all stakeholders, with the high turnout of proposal numbers incorporating ideas from all over the world seeking to solve social and environmental issues. To the greatest delight of the organizers, a total of 781 proposals were submitted from 61 countries. After a careful review by the selection panel, only few made it to the final round.

Without hiding her feelings the DG BOFT Cynthia Kiang stated that “we could feel that love and care are everywhere in the world.” She went further saying “at the same time, the Taiwan Excellence winning companies will continue to spare no efforts in pushing forward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via the Campaign.”

Marareia Hamilton a team member of the wining proposal ‘Solar Solutions for Indigenous Māori Communities’ from New Zealand posited that she has been a great promoter of bringing the much needed development to the Maori Communities thus creating a workable business model for the locals. She went further stating that the stability of power is of major concern in the Maori Communities. And that it was this issue that made she and her team come up with a pragmatic solution of installing solar power to the affected communities through the Taiwanese Excellence global products. This project Marareia believed would guarantee the construction of a self-sustaining green power generation system within the targeted local communities. Marareia sounded special thanks of honour the Taiwanese Global Excellence for lighting up the Maori Communities and creating a special bond of friendship & trust between Taiwan and New Zealand.

The second winning proposal ‘Educating and Empowering the Community through Mobile Kart’ from the Philippines seeks to bend space and time between the cities and remote villages while also promoting environmental security. The creation of a mobile classroom – a kart incinerated by solar panels was put together by the winning team. Equipped with laptops and efficient internet connectivity, this technology will aid the computer learning of less privileged youngsters in the rural areas. The proposer in the person of Jonathan J. Catilla was very glad for the selection of the proposal project. This idea according to Jonathan, will renew the interest of education in the children living in these remote areas due to the mobility of classrooms. Here, the challenge of distance has been reduced to the barest minimum.

The third winning proposal from Yilan, Taiwan: ‘One-day Medical Tour and Same-day Denture Delivery – Mobile Digital Denture Clinic & Oral Health Service Project’ seeks to bring medical care closer to the elderly people through the means of a medical mobile vehicle furnished with dental care machines for measuring bio data. The team ensured that the quality of health care services can only be realized through the availability and usage of Taiwan Excellence global winning technologies.

Three winners were presented with cash prices to the tune of NT$50,000 by the Director General of BOFT Cynthia Kiang during the lucky draw period of the event for guessing right the three winning proposal projects. The lucky draw winners emerged from Taiwan and New Zealand respectively.
See the lucky draw winner list at https://share-care.taiwanexcellence.org/

A member of the selection panel Professor Jou – Jou Chu from National Chung University congratulated the three winners. He stated that their selections were anchored on credibility and competency because it captured this year’s conference theme of Sharing is Caring. And the objective of giving back to the Community through altruistic acts as been the major goal of Taiwan Global Excellence.

Country                                         Winning Proposals
New Zealand              Solar Solutions  for Indigenous   Māori Communities

The Philippines         Educating and  Empowering the Community Through Mobile Kart

Taiwan                    One-day Medical Tour and Same-day Denture Delivery- Mobile    Digital Denture Clinic & Oral Health Service Project

Contact:
Mark Wu, Executive Director, Strategic Marketing Department,
Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)
Tel: (02) 2725-5200 #1300
Email: wuct@taitra.org.tw