Sunshine Amid Adversity: Home Fund Girl Overcomes Odds, Earns PhD Scholarship to Study in the U.S.

Despite facing family adversity, Xiao Yi has remained positive and built a bright future. Ten years ago, Xiao Yi’s family suffered a crisis, leaving her mother to shoulder the responsibility of raising three children while battling heavy debt and illness. Over the years, although her family transitioned through low-income and middle-low-income social welfare stages, Xiao Yi never gave in to hardship—thanks to the joint support of the government, the Home Fund Foundation, and society at large. On the 31st, County Magistrate Chung Tung-chin, accompanied by Social Affairs Department Director Chang Kuo-tung, met with Xiao Yi at the county office to offer encouragement, expressing hopes that she will return after her studies to contribute her expertise to society.

Cheng Ching-min, Director of the Miaoli Home Fund Center, shared that Xiao Yi transferred to the Department of Sports Science during university. After engaging in research in her sophomore year, she solidified her aspirations, completed academic papers, published in journals, and successfully secured admission to a U.S. PhD program. She now specializes in the pathological mechanisms of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), aiming to design better rehabilitation strategies for Taiwan’s youth upon her return, transforming knowledge into social impact.

Magistrate Chung highlighted Xiao Yi’s journey—from being selected for Miaoli County’s International Education Elite Development Leadership Program in high school, to entering a national university, bravely switching to her true passion in sports science, actively engaging in research, studying abroad in Singapore, publishing multiple academic papers, and earning recognition as a Phi Tau Phi Honorary Member. This year, she successfully passed the Ministry of Education’s government-funded overseas study program and will soon depart for the U.S. to pursue her doctorate. Each step of her journey reflects perseverance, courage, and relentless effort.

Emotionally, Xiao Yi shared that her belief in “wanting to become a better version of myself” carried her through tough times. She expressed deep gratitude for the kindness from the Home Fund Foundation and society, which allowed her to focus on her studies with peace of mind.

Magistrate Chung especially thanked the Home Fund Foundation for its continuous support since 2017—not only providing living assistance and scholarships, but also accompanying Xiao Yi in international exchanges, capacity-building programs, and volunteer services, supporting her to this day. He emphasized that the foundation’s greatest value lies in helping children learn to give back to society while receiving help—a precious value and a shared goal for all.

Chung stressed that every child deserves the chance to pursue their dreams. He pledged continued collaboration with the Home Fund and civil groups, leveraging social welfare, educational resources, and youth empowerment to help more children overcome environmental barriers, bravely dream, and safely pursue their goals.