30 Years of Educational Support Empowers 9,599 Students: Kaohsiung City Partners with Charities to Help Underprivileged Youth Pursue Dreams

A single scholarship can change the course of a child's life. Today (9th), the Social Welfare Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, in collaboration with the Kaohsiung Charity Organizations United Association, held the 'Harbor City Joint Educational Assistance and Wings Project Service Program 115th Academic Year, First Semester Meet-and-Greet Event – Youth Self-Reliance Action Carnival' at the Weiwuying National Arts and Cultural Center. Through public-private collaboration, combining the efforts of enterprises, public welfare organizations, and compassionate individuals, this semester's program supported 180 economically disadvantaged students with NT$2.153 million in scholarships.

The 'Harbor City Joint Educational Assistance Program' has been running since the 85th academic year and has now entered its 30th year. To date, it has supported 9,599 underprivileged students and facilitated over NT$94.99 million in scholarship funding. Over the past three decades, each scholarship has served not only as financial support but also as a crucial force enabling countless students to continue their education and pursue their dreams, helping them overcome family financial hardships and gradually achieve self-reliance.

The event featured personal stories from scholarship recipients. Xiao-Yu, currently a university student, shared that her father suffered a sudden stroke during high school, leaving the family without its primary income. Her mother took on part-time work to support the household, and Xiao-Yu proactively applied for scholarships and worked as a tutor to ease the financial burden. However, after entering university, her father suffered another stroke with worsening health, forcing her mother to quit her job and focus entirely on caregiving, significantly increasing the family's financial pressure.

Fortunately, with support from scholarships, on-campus work-study programs, and kind-hearted donors, Xiao-Yu has been able to continue her education and steadily pursue her dreams. She expressed deep gratitude to the United Association of Charities and all sponsors for their companionship and encouragement. This support, she said, went beyond financial aid—it gave her the strength to believe in herself during her most difficult times. She hopes that when she becomes capable in the future, she can pass on this warmth to others in need.

Youth Self-Reliance Action Carnival: Empowering Independence Through a Market Experience

Jiang Qing-Long, President of the Kaohsiung Charity Organizations United Association, stated that the Harbor City Joint Educational Assistance Program has long united enterprises, organizations, and compassionate individuals in supporting underprivileged youth. Beyond financial aid, the program aims to help youth build self-reliance through continuous mentorship. This year, the 'Youth Self-Reliance Action Carnival' featured a youth-run market where recipients planned booths, sold goods, and interacted with the public. Through hands-on participation, students developed communication skills, teamwork, and financial literacy, transforming 'receiving help' into 'building self-reliance'.

Cai Wan-Fen, Director of the Kaohsiung City Social Welfare Bureau, expressed gratitude to the United Association of Charities for 30 years of partnership and to all sponsors for their ongoing support. For disadvantaged families, a child's ability to complete education is often the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. In recent years, the city has integrated private resources to support youth through educational aid, self-reliance programs, and poverty alleviation initiatives, helping children build capabilities for future success.

Cai emphasized that the Social Welfare Bureau offers youth development activities, financial literacy, and job readiness courses. It also implements the national Children and Youth Future Education and Development Account to help youth accumulate capital for the future. Additionally, through partnerships with charities, the bureau operates commodity banks and provides cash assistance to offer immediate relief to vulnerable families, reducing daily living pressures. This year, the city government is directly sponsoring three university students, setting an example to encourage more enterprises and citizens to join the cause.

The Social Welfare Bureau stressed that education is a powerful force for change, and ongoing support is key to helping children go further. Moving forward, through public-private collaboration, the city will continue to engage enterprises, charities, and compassionate individuals to expand educational support beyond financial aid into self-reliance training and career development. The goal is to ensure underprivileged youth can study with confidence and courageously pursue their dreams, ultimately transforming those once helped into future helpers—creating a lasting cycle of kindness spanning generations.