Father Chen and his 2,000 children

（People's Daily Online）  08:01, June 27, 2013  

Edited and translated by Huang Jin, People's Daily Online

"Father Chen" is what the children call Chen Junlang. 14 years ago, Chen finished his business in Taipei and returned back to his home in Taitung. He prepared for the civil service exam while taking care of his two sons. Gradually, he became familiar with the children in the nearby community. A lot of children came to his courtyard to listen to him playing guitar or telling a story.

Since then, Chen came up with the idea to build an activity center exclusively for the children. He rented a two-story building and collected social funds to buy books, music instruments and computers. The activity center was totally free for all children. In the center, children were not only able to study and play games, but also to received all kinds of training including psychology, sports, music, etc. Chen has spent his entire saving NT$ 5 million (about $170,000) on the center.

He said: "I don't care about death or becoming poor, but I do care that children live a life without education." Now the number of the activity centers has grown to eight. There are 24 teachers in those canters, and seven of them are full time volunteers. More than 2,000 children have studied in the centers. When we ask the children why they call him father Chen. The replies are almost the same: "Because he is just like my father."