“Volunteer service is like trying to plant seeds of hope in a large tract of unknown fields; you never know which seeds will sprout”.

This is Li Ching-Fang’s definition of “volunteer service”. Ching-fang, who is a second year Master’s student in the Graduate Institute of Educational Policy and Leadership, recently received the prestigious Youth Leader Award for his continued voluntary work over the past six years. The awards were issued to just 7 recipients this year, out of a total of over 600 entrants, and were distributed in person by the President of Taiwan, Mr. Ma Ying-jeou.

Ching-fang expressed that “just like most people, at first I didn’t know what I was doing”. He recalled his early experiences as a volunteer, when he first came to understand the value of volunteer work: “volunteer community service is a process of mutual benefit. You go to many different places and teach local children math and computer. It’s difficult to know the extent to which they will retain the information taught in the classes; but we can inspire them to learn and stimulate their interest in the learning process”.