Three winners from New Zealand, the Philippines, and Taiwan each win a $150,000 grant for their community projects and a $10,000 cash award

TAIPEI, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#CharityContest--After careful consideration of more than 700 proposals from 61 countries, Taiwan Excellence: Sharing is Caring, the inaugural global philanthropic campaign launched by Taiwan�s Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), Ministry of Economic Affairs announced the top three winning proposals today:

1. Solar Solutions for Indigenous M?ori Communities (New Zealand)
2. Educating and Empowering the Community through Mobile Kart (the Philippines), and
3. One-day Medical Tour and Same-day Denture Delivery - Mobile Digital Denture Clinic & Oral Health Service Project (Taiwan).

Cynthia Kiang, Director General of BOFT virtually presented certificates to the winners during an awards ceremony on January 26, 2022. The winning proposals will be funded and implemented in the proposed region/country to help foster kindness and good deeds in the local communities.

With support from sponsors, the first annual Sharing is Caring campaign recruited ideas worldwide that incorporated Taiwan Excellence award-winning products to address either social or environmental issues. A total of 781 proposals from 61 countries poured in, and the top proposals were selected after careful and thoughtful consideration.

Director General Kiang was excited to see the success of the campaign and such enthusiastic participation the first year of Sharing is Caring. �We could feel that love and care are everywhere in the world,� said Kiang. �At the same time, the Taiwan Excellence winning companies will continue to spare no effort in pushing forward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via this Campaign.�

Marareia Hamilton, one of the team members of the winning proposal �Solar Solutions for Indigenous M?ori Communities� from New Zealand, has long been devoted to the development of M?ori communities and established workable business models for locals. As many of the communities are located in remote areas, the power supply might be inconsistent due to grid stability issues. Thus the team proposed installing solar panels from Taiwan to build a self-sustaining green energy power-generation system within these communities. Hamilton expressed her special thanks to Taiwan Excellence during the ceremony for lighting up the M?ori communities, and bringing Taiwan and New Zealand closer.

The winning proposal from the Philippines, �Educating and Empowering the Community through Mobile Kart� involves narrowing the education divide between remote villages and cities while enhancing environmental protection. The team put together a mobile classroom � a kart powered by solar panels and equipped with laptops and internet, so that children in remote areas can learn how to use computers and get connected. The proposer Jonathan J. Cartilla thanked the BOFT for the opportunity to promote education in rural areas in the Philippines. With the mobile kart, a classroom regardless of distance will no longer be a dream.

Another winning proposal is from Taiwan. �One-day Medical Tour and Same-day Denture Delivery - Mobile Digital Denture Clinic & Oral Health Service Project� will care for the health and well-being of the elderly in rural areas with a mobile medical vehicle equipped with dental care devices for measuring biodata. The proposer, Ms. Danielle Chen, stated that the quality of their healthcare services is guaranteed by using Taiwan Excellence award-winning products, while being mobile brings the good will of Taiwan Excellence to some of the farthest remote corners of Taiwan.

The event also held a lucky draw for those who predicted the winners. Members of the public and Taiwan Excellence social channel followers were invited to predict and vote for the winning proposals online. During the event, Director General Kiang revealed three winners who predicted the right proposals and won prizes worth US$1,800.

See the lucky draw winners at https://share-care.taiwanexcellence.org/

One of the members from the selection panel, Professor Jou-Juo Chu was impressed with the wide range of well-intentioned proposals. She added that to stand out as a winning proposal, a mere creative philanthropic idea is not enough. Feasibility and practicality should also be taken into consideration for the idea to be executed effectively. Sharing is Caring is also an opportunity for more companies to come on board and fulfill their corporate social responsibility.

About Taiwan Excellence

Taiwan Excellence honors Taiwan�s most innovative products that provide tremendous value to users worldwide. All products carrying the Taiwan Excellence symbol have been selected as winners of specific Taiwan Excellence Awards based on outstanding R&D, design, quality, marketing, and Made-in-Taiwan merits. The Taiwan Excellence Award, initiated by the Ministry of Economy in 1992, is recognized by 102 countries around the world. Visit www.taiwanexcellence.org for more information.

Contacts

SKC, Inc.

Mary Placido

(415) 218-3627

[email protected]

Mark Wu, Executive Director, Strategic Marketing Department,

Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)

Tel: (02) 2725-5200 #1300

Email: [email protected]