Business encourages rural school kids to read with donations, volunteers
Business encourages rural school kids to read with donations, volunteers
2026-08-17
With digital devices commanding our attention these days, how many of us still read books? The habit of reading starts young, and a financial holdings company has dedicated itself to the cause for 20 years. Employees volunteer to read with kids in new libraries built by the company’s charity foundation. Let’s take a look at some of the results in our special report.
At the presidential inauguration in 2016, the choir of Pingtung County Timur Elementary School stole the show by layering Traditional Paiwan tunes with the national anthem in counterpoint.
The home of these voices is Timur, also known as Sandimen Township, 360km from the capital. The local, 120-year-old Timur Elementary School is the first primary school bearing the Traditional Place name. The majority of students are Paiwan, followed by Rukai.
- What is your school called?
- Timur Elementary School
- What does “Timur” mean?
- Timur is a school.
- I don’t know.
Tjanubak, Kao Chih-cheng
Principal, Timur Elementary School
Timur Elementary School was formerly known as Sandi Elementary School. Timur is the name of this community. The name was changed because we Indigenous Peoples name our living spaces as a connection to collective memory and lifetime memory.
This is Djemuljat, a sacred ritual of Maljeveq, also known as the Five-Year Festival. Clan representatives gather around in a circle, each holding a 10m-long bamboo pole to try to stab vine balls tossed into the air by the priest. Every ball represents a different blessing. The ritual is used to introduce levers to kids in science class.
Where is the fulcrum in Djemuljat? The shoulders. He’s holding a bamboo pole at least 10m long. That makes the spirit ball the resistance.
Instead of conventional textbooks compiled by the Han people, Timur Elementary School uses the country’s first Paiwan-centric class materials. For example, the traditional slate house illustrates thermal conductivity of different materials, while ceramic beads and silver buttons on traditional clothing are featured in math.
Lai Wei-en
Timur Elementary School
Paiwan culture informs texts for various subjects, including Mandarin, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. This not only helps kids acquire knowledge in these subjects, but also makes them understand that there’s academic know-how in our elders’ wisdom and heritage.
Chen Hsin-yu
Timur Elementary School
We’re less than ten minutes away from the plains, so most of the kids’ parents are quite comfortable financially and have good jobs, compared with other more remote villages. Parents here are also quite supportive of getting their kids to read.
On this bookish campus, today, every member has come out to welcome guests from afar, to inaugurate a new library.
- Can you tell me what your favorite thing is here?
- This is my favorite.
- This thing on the ceiling is our glass beads.
- Is the new library very different from the old one?
- Very different.
In the old library, the whole space at the back is shelves. There are shelves here, and there at the back, and also there.
Even though many kids here love reading, the old library wasn’t particularly attractive to young kids with its basic interior.
Chen Hsin-yu
Timur Elementary School
Our former library had a more somber color scheme. It’s reflective of the colors of the Paiwan and Rukai peoples, mainly browns, blacks and other deeper shades. I find that the yellow goes really well with muted colors. It feels really bright and attractive to kids. The space is also well-designed, with various reading corners. There’s a seating area, reading steps and other different reading spaces.
The new library was funded by a domestic financial holdings company. A percentage of credit card payment goes to the company’s charity and volunteer foundation, which is then used for improving the infrastructure of underserved schools. From 2007 to April, 2026, as many as 200 public schools have benefitted from this initiative.
Joseph N. C. Huang
Company volunteer foundation CEO
We hope that the Gold Seed initiative will plant a seed for the love of reading in the hearts of every school kid, and that the seed will slowly grow into a tall tree. We hope that they’ll develop a conviction to become somebody that can contribute to our society. We hope that when these kids grow up, they’ll be inspired to contribute to the betterment of the next generation.
The company’s employees also volunteer to read with these kids at their schools.
Yeh Yung-shih
Volunteer
I’d thought that the kids would be pretty shy, but all of them are so enthusiastic and eager to share their thoughts.
Lai Chen-ting
Volunteer
I used to know nothing about their culture, but I began to learn through illustrated books, about how slate houses are built and the history behind them. It’s not just about keeping kids company. I’m also learning.
Turning to Zhongpu Township in Chiayi, an agricultural town. Chen Yen-min is an alumna of Shekou Elemetary School. She remembers that in 2009, when she was in the higher grades, the library suddenly became pretty upscale.
Chen Yen-min
Shekou Elemetary School
After all, this is a rural township. It’s rare to have a library that’s so beautiful and air-conditioned, with such a delightful and whimsical interior, and such lovely colors. At the time when we saw the library, our first impression was that it was really so bougie.
But it’s not enough to have a pretty space. Kids have to become interested in reading, so that the library can truly come alive. After getting her credentials, Chen returned to her alma mater to become a substitute teacher. She’s also now encouraging kids to fall in love with reading.
Chen Yen-min
Shekou Elemetary School
I’ve always felt that I am indebted to my home room teacher in the higher grades. She inspired me to build a reading habit. Because of her, I started reading for pleasure, books and newspaper. She made me feel that texts really aren’t so intimidating. When I became a teacher myself, every week I dedicate one period to bring students to the library to read. In this period, they’re allowed to read alone, with classmates, or even with me. Anything as long as we’re reading.
Over the past two decades, school kids are becoming inspired to love reading. However, it seems that the world is changing too quickly now. Whether in cities or the countryside, people’s attention is being hogged by digital devices and fragmented online information. How does that affect kids’ interest in physical books?
Timur Elementary School had the sponsor install an interactive whiteboard in the new library. The teachers believe that instead of resisting digital devices, students should instead be guided to learn effectively through both digital and analog means.
Lai Wei-en
Timur Elementary School
Before, we did not have a learning device like this. But the interactive whiteboard boosts the government’s “a tablet for every student” effort. We also hope that the kids can learn how to effectively use digital tools to improve their learning outcomes.
Chen Hsin-yu
Timur Elementary School
The issue with digital devices is really widespread among educators, parents, and even the society at large. We’re all dealing with the same issue. Even we ourselves use digital devices. How we teach students to discern real from false information in reading classes is more important. We’re not telling kids that digital devices are all bad.
Joseph Huang, who is usually busy as chairperson of his company, still makes time to attend the inauguration of every new library. For him, each new library is a new seed of hope.
Joseph N. C. Huang
Company volunteer foundation CEO
This is a thank-you card I got from a kid at Datong Elementary School in Puzi, Chiayi, at the inauguration of the library. When he handed me the card, he whispered to me, “Chairman Huang, I’m really so grateful that your company has given us such a beautiful library. We love it so much. We will definitely read lots and lots in the library. We also hope that when we grow up, we’ll become better and more valuable people.” It’s really, really touching when a kid says these things to you. You realize that even little kids feel grateful, and second, they’re really motivated. The kids hope that they will make good use of the library and learn many things.
Tjanubak, Kao Chih-cheng
Principal, Timur Elementary School
I think these experiences allow kids to understand that it’s not just holding out your hands for a present. More importantly, maybe one day, they’ll start to think about how they can serve others with their profession, education and life experiences, even if just a little. They’ll want to pay it forward by serving others in various ways. That’s what we want to instill in kids the most.
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#charity #reading #education #library #booktok
企業攜手學校改造圖書館 翻新閱讀空間 也打開看見世界的另一扇窗
2026-08-17
在這個手機不離身，每天醒來就是一堆社群訊息的時代，現代人的獲取資訊可說愈來愈碎片化，專注力也愈來愈難集中。正因如此，從小培養孩子閱讀習慣，顯得格外重要，因為閱讀力是學習和思考的基礎。可惜的是，台灣不少學校，因為經費和資源缺乏，藏書不夠豐富，閱讀空間也過於單調，大大降低學童走入圖書館的意願，也引不起對閱讀的興趣。早在二十年前，就有企業看見問題，長期協助各個學校翻修圖書館軟硬體設備，而他們的員工也自發性當起志工，一起陪伴孩子閱讀。為的就是讓下一代能親近閱讀、喜歡上閱讀。一起來看這個深耕二十年的計畫，有什麼動人的故事和成果。
嘹亮優美的歌聲，2016年總統就職典禮中，來自屏東的地磨兒國小合唱團擔任國歌領唱，排灣族古調交織國歌旋律讓人耳目一新。
從都市回到部落，360公里的距離，這是屏東縣三地門鄉，超過120年歷史的地磨兒國小，是縣內第一所以原住民族語命名的小學，學生多為排灣族，部分是魯凱族。
- 你們學校叫什麼名字
- 地磨兒國小
- 地磨兒是什麼意思
- 地磨兒是一所學校
- 不知道
[[屏東縣地磨兒國小校長 高至誠]]
“地磨兒國小之前的名稱叫三地國小，Timur是這個部落的空間名稱，為什麼要改成這樣的名字，我們傳統原住民族，對於生活的空間會命名，這個命名是跟人的集體記憶，生命記憶有關係”
這是排灣族五年祭中極為神聖的「刺福球儀式」，各家族代表拿著超過10公尺的長竹竿，爭相刺中祭司拋向空中的藤球，象徵著迎接祖靈的祝福，這樣的文化，也融入學校的自然課，講的是「槓桿原理」。
“請問在這個刺球儀式中，它的支點是我們的什麼，肩膀，因為他要手握住十公尺以上長的竹竿，它的福球就是什麼，抗力點”
不用漢人編寫的主流教科書，地磨兒國小走出自己的路，他們使用全國第一套排灣族本位教材，像是用石板屋來說明，物質對熱的影響，或是從衣服上的陶珠和銀扣，來教孩子算數。
[[地磨兒國小教導主任 賴偉恩]]
“以排灣族文化背景的文本取材，結合我們在國語、數學、自然、社會的學科領域，幫助孩子，不僅在學科領域的成長，他也明白，原來在我們長輩們的智慧相傳中，也有學術涵養在當中”
[[地磨兒國小閱讀推動老師 陳欣瑜]]
“因為我們離平地，大概不到十分鐘就到平地，所以大部分家長的社經背景，還有工作的能力都還算不錯，相較於其他比較偏鄉的部落，這個地方的家長們，對於閱讀這一塊，他們相對是支持的”
這樣具有文化底蘊的校園，今天全校總動員，他們要與遠道而來的訪客，一起迎接新圖書館的到來。
- 介紹一下你最喜歡的地方
- 我最喜歡的地方是這裡
- 這上面是我們的琉璃珠
- 這邊跟舊的圖書室很不一樣嗎
- 不一樣
舊的圖書室，後面全部都是放書的地方，這裡很像書櫃的地方，後面也是書櫃的地方，這裡也是書櫃的地方
儘管平時的閱讀風氣良好，但舊有圖書室，空間規劃過於單調，對於這個年紀的學童來說，實在缺乏吸引力
[[地磨兒國小閱讀推動老師 陳欣瑜]]
“我們學校的圖書館，之前它的色調是比較重一點，我們排灣族跟魯凱族的顏色，是稍微比較低調，大概是咖啡色、黑色，這些比較深色的。我覺得黃色跟莫蘭迪的色調，真的是很搭配，讓孩子們進來是很明亮的感覺，再來就是空間的規劃，像有不同的閱讀空間，可能有坐的閱讀區，也有階梯式的閱讀區，不同的閱覽的方式”
這樣的圖書館改造推手，是國內一家金控業者，他們從客戶的刷卡消費中提撥一定比例當作公益基金，用來提升資源缺乏的學校圖書館軟硬體設施，從2007年開始到2026年4月，已經有200所學校受益。
[[志工基金會執行長 黃男州]]
“讓黃金種子計劃發揮它的效果，在每個小孩子的心裡種下了一棵閱讀的種子，讓它慢慢的成長茁壯，變成是一棵大樹，讓他們覺得，我長大以後，要成為社會有用的人，等這些小孩子長大以後，也能夠發揚他們的愛心，讓我們下個世代的小孩子，也可以變得更好”
企業員工，也會到學校陪伴學童閱讀。
[[企業志工 葉詠欣]]
“我本來以為，他們都是很害羞的小朋友，可是今天小朋友都非常的熱情，他們會很樂於分享”
[[企業志工 賴貞廷]]
“我從不了解這個文化，透過繪本去了解當地文化，石板屋怎麼建造，它的歷史是怎麼樣，不僅是陪伴小孩，更是自己的學習”
鏡頭來到嘉義縣中埔鄉，一個傳統農業鄉鎮，陳宴旻是社口國小的校友，她回憶起2009年，就讀高年級時，學校的圖書館突然變得很高級。
[[嘉義縣社口國小校友 陳宴旻]]
“我們這裡畢竟是鄉下，在鄉下會有一座這麼漂亮，又有冷氣，有很漂亮的裝潢，很童趣，很活潑色彩的圖書館其實很少見，所以當時候我們看到，哇，好高級的圖書館，這是我們的第一印象”
光是硬體升級還不夠，也要有人啟發孩子的閱讀興趣，才能夠賦予圖書館靈魂，長大後，她回到母校當代課老師，也將這份閱讀的種子，種在孩子心中。
[[嘉義縣社口國小校友 陳宴旻]]
“我一直覺得高年級導師是我的恩人，他讓我有了閱讀習慣，他讓我開始看課外書，讓我開始看報紙，他讓我覺得文字並不是這麼的可怕，所以當我自己成為老師之後，我每個禮拜一定有一節課，我是帶孩子們來圖書館閱讀，這節課裡面，他們想要自己閱讀或者跟同學閱讀，或者是拿著書來跟我閱讀，都好，我們就是要做閱讀這件事”
二十年來，閱讀的種子在各地發芽茁壯，然而，這些年來，世界變化得太快，不論是都市還是偏鄉部落，人們的注意力被3C產品，和破碎的網路資訊所佔據，是否會影響學童的紙本閱讀呢。
趁著這次圖書館翻新之際，校方特別請企業增設數位電子白板，老師們認為，不是要抗拒數位工具，而是要做正確的引導，讓「數位閱讀」和「紙本閱讀」，雙軌進行。
[[地磨兒國小教導主任 賴偉恩]]
“以往我們沒有特別裝置這樣的教學載具，透過數位電子白板，我們可以更多的結合現在政府推的生生有平板的互動，我們也會期待說，讓他們能夠在這個時代當中，可以適當地運用這個工具，使他們在學習上面，成為他們的幫助”
[[地磨兒國小閱讀推動老師 陳欣瑜]]
“我覺得3C問題存在是，現在我們普遍，包括教學者，還有家長，甚至是整個社會，普遍都遇到同樣的問題，甚至是我們自己，目前就是3C的使用者，我們如何運用閱讀的課程，帶領孩子去認識所謂的真偽，我覺得這是很重要的結合，而不是真的跟孩子們說，3C就是不好的”
平時忙於金控事業的黃男州，總是會親自參加圖書館的開幕，對他來說，每一座圖書館的誕生，都是希望的種子。
[[志工基金會執行長 黃男州]]
“這個是我到嘉義朴子大同國小，圖書館開幕的時候，一個小孩子就拿了這張謝卡過來，他遞給我，輕輕跟我說，黃董事長很謝謝你們，給我們一個非常美麗的圖書館，我們很喜歡，未來我們一定會在圖書館裡面好好的閱讀，也希望長大以後，可以變成更好，更有用的人，當你聽到一個小孩子，跟你講這種話的時候，一方面是內心感到非常的溫暖，我們的小孩子他知道感恩，第二個也感覺到我們的小孩子很有志氣，他希望多多的利用這個圖書館，讓他吸收更多的知識”
[[屏東縣地磨兒國小校長 高至誠]]
“我覺得孩子從這樣的過程，不是只有單純手心向上接受禮物，更重要的是，有一天，他們可以去思考，是不是有一天，我在自己的事業，學業，在自己的生命經驗中，如果我有機會，哪怕是一點點，我可以服務別人，我可以提供各種不一樣的服務來回饋社會，覺得這個是我們想帶給孩子，最深層的生命禮物”
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