2012 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee : Chen Shu-Chu

Taitung vegetable vendor Chen Shu-chu (陳樹菊) is joining a very select club as she becomes the 11th person from Taiwan to receive a Ramon Magsaysay Award. She is being honored for transforming young lives through a life of giving, the award foundation said this week.

Though living a simple, frugal life, Chen has given away more than NT$10 million (US$332,200) over the years to charities for the care and education of poor children, inspired by her own difficult and impoverished childhood.

She was selected as one of the Time 100 for year 2010 in the Heroes category. She is also one of the 48 heroes of Philanthropy by Forbes Asia. Reader's Digest also honors her as the winner of 2010 Asian of the year.