Through establishing social enterprises to challenge the destiny of rural areas
"What will remain in Zhuolan after all?"
A few years ago, when we first came to Zhuolan, we were asked by local farmers: "Professor, will I see you again?". Now though it has been the fifth year we came to Zhuolan, this question has still always stayed with us, in our minds.
Therefore, when Zhuolan project started, we kept asking ourselves “What can we contribute to Zhuolan that could have long-lasting effects? How to create opportunities to attract young people back to their hometown? How to improve the value of agricultural industry?”.
So we tried to create a new business model and establish a new company, which will be run by students. Through discussion with residents, they try to figure out the local issue. It has been proven that the population always gathers in places with industries, and unfortunately, this factor has also caused the rapid decline of agricultural-based villages. Zhuolan Town is located next to the Taichung Metropolitan Area and very famous for its high-quality fruits. However, the value of agricultural profession has long been underestimated, and thus, even farmers do not wish to transfer their business to the next generation. Gradually, the second generation has a low sense of identity with their hometown. Consequently, the local primary schools and farmlands have been abandoned due to the outflows of population.
"Students use their creativity to find business possibilities"
We cultivate student teams through courses, assist them in solving social problems, and provide them business employment opportunities. After the project is finished, those teams who have the motivation to solve social problems will become valuable resources in promoting sustainable development in rural areas.
Work-study students are encouraged to become entrepreneurs. They identify Zhuolan's problems from the analysis and inspiration in the course while look for opportunities to enter the market. Through the market survey, students found that many companies are willing to understand and support agriculture in order to enhance the public image of their companies. The attention and support from enterprises are the right resources that Zhuolan lacks. Nowadays, many companies are facing social expectations and need to implement corporate social responsibility plans but there is no formal department to operate. This is an opportunity to introduce resources to rural areas.
After two years of preparation, “Huoyuan Marketing” was officially registered as a company by students, and began to cooperate with the public sector to create opportunities in rural areas. It aims to assist large enterprises to organize activities related to corporate social responsibility.
"We improve the quality of fruits to increase the value of agricultural products"
Farmers’ harvest is determined by the weather, and they work hard all year no matter what it costs. The worse thing is in recent years, the climate has become extremely harsh for farming. Facing problems that cannot be solved by experience, farmers often experience losses which eventually demotivates them to let their children follow this career path.
Thus, we want to change and enhance farmer’s ideas of investment as well as their view towards owns agricultural industry. “Yuansheng Consulting Company” was established with this goal. Through professional analysis and working with agricultural specialists, it attempts to find out the key planting problems and to encourage farmers to participate in advanced courses to change their planting methods which help enhance fruit quality.
On the other hand, we created the exclusive brand "Zhuolan Orchard" in Zhuolan Town, and promoted the brand as the representative of Zhuolan Town. We reorganized the local holiday farmer's market. In the past, the appearance of the market was dilapidated but now it is neat and beautiful. With the gradual development of quality and brand, farmers’ income has been enhanced, and their professional value has continued to increase.
"Re-understand the hometown industry even from the elementary school level”
In addition to teachers and equipment, the educational gap between urban and rural areas also stems from students' imagination and opportunities for the future. As students’ life experience is limited due to parents’ busy agricultural activities as well as the family's low expectations of their career, students' appreciation of their hometown agricultural industry is very low.
We entered a local elementary school and attempted to preserve the foundations of rural education. At the same time, we assisted them in creating courses teaching hometown characteristics, local farming practice, and teach students how to make fruit dishes. Step by step, students gradually deepen their understanding of the hometown industry. In addition to elementary school education, the curriculum is further integrated to the junior high school stage, combined with the marketing activities of “Zhuolan Orchard” so that their knowledge is not only limited to production and labor. Through students’ creativity, they can help enhance the industrial value of their own towns.
With the development of the curriculum, the local students' understanding of agriculture will be re-trained so that those who are interested in farming will have a new vision of their future careers . As a result, students no longer think that the only way out for their future is to work in the city. Consequently, this practice may help reduce the continuous outflow of the rural population.
"Create sustainable opportunities for rural areas through education"
In the past, the repeated failures of other projects have reduced the trust of rural people. Therefore, we invite rural residents to participate and try to establish a mechanism that enables them to be independent and reconnected with resources in rural areas. This mechanism helps retain the cultural foundation and characteristics of the local villages while establishes an appropriate business model and transforms it into a sustainable development mechanism. Thus, our students are trained to seek opportunities in solving social issues through professional courses. In order to solve the problems of the rural areas regarding their own occupational identification and employment opportunities. Besides, we must retain local educational resources to create opportunities for the return of the population.
A few years ago, when we first came to Zhuolan, we were asked by local farmers: "Professor, will I see you again?". Now though it has been the fifth year we came to Zhuolan, this question has still always stayed with us, in our minds.
Therefore, when Zhuolan project started, we kept asking ourselves “What can we contribute to Zhuolan that could have long-lasting effects? How to create opportunities to attract young people back to their hometown? How to improve the value of agricultural industry?”.
So we tried to create a new business model and establish a new company, which will be run by students. Through discussion with residents, they try to figure out the local issue. It has been proven that the population always gathers in places with industries, and unfortunately, this factor has also caused the rapid decline of agricultural-based villages. Zhuolan Town is located next to the Taichung Metropolitan Area and very famous for its high-quality fruits. However, the value of agricultural profession has long been underestimated, and thus, even farmers do not wish to transfer their business to the next generation. Gradually, the second generation has a low sense of identity with their hometown. Consequently, the local primary schools and farmlands have been abandoned due to the outflows of population.
"Students use their creativity to find business possibilities"
We cultivate student teams through courses, assist them in solving social problems, and provide them business employment opportunities. After the project is finished, those teams who have the motivation to solve social problems will become valuable resources in promoting sustainable development in rural areas.
Work-study students are encouraged to become entrepreneurs. They identify Zhuolan's problems from the analysis and inspiration in the course while look for opportunities to enter the market. Through the market survey, students found that many companies are willing to understand and support agriculture in order to enhance the public image of their companies. The attention and support from enterprises are the right resources that Zhuolan lacks. Nowadays, many companies are facing social expectations and need to implement corporate social responsibility plans but there is no formal department to operate. This is an opportunity to introduce resources to rural areas.
After two years of preparation, “Huoyuan Marketing” was officially registered as a company by students, and began to cooperate with the public sector to create opportunities in rural areas. It aims to assist large enterprises to organize activities related to corporate social responsibility.
"We improve the quality of fruits to increase the value of agricultural products"
Farmers’ harvest is determined by the weather, and they work hard all year no matter what it costs. The worse thing is in recent years, the climate has become extremely harsh for farming. Facing problems that cannot be solved by experience, farmers often experience losses which eventually demotivates them to let their children follow this career path.
Thus, we want to change and enhance farmer’s ideas of investment as well as their view towards owns agricultural industry. “Yuansheng Consulting Company” was established with this goal. Through professional analysis and working with agricultural specialists, it attempts to find out the key planting problems and to encourage farmers to participate in advanced courses to change their planting methods which help enhance fruit quality.
On the other hand, we created the exclusive brand "Zhuolan Orchard" in Zhuolan Town, and promoted the brand as the representative of Zhuolan Town. We reorganized the local holiday farmer's market. In the past, the appearance of the market was dilapidated but now it is neat and beautiful. With the gradual development of quality and brand, farmers’ income has been enhanced, and their professional value has continued to increase.
"Re-understand the hometown industry even from the elementary school level”
In addition to teachers and equipment, the educational gap between urban and rural areas also stems from students' imagination and opportunities for the future. As students’ life experience is limited due to parents’ busy agricultural activities as well as the family's low expectations of their career, students' appreciation of their hometown agricultural industry is very low.
We entered a local elementary school and attempted to preserve the foundations of rural education. At the same time, we assisted them in creating courses teaching hometown characteristics, local farming practice, and teach students how to make fruit dishes. Step by step, students gradually deepen their understanding of the hometown industry. In addition to elementary school education, the curriculum is further integrated to the junior high school stage, combined with the marketing activities of “Zhuolan Orchard” so that their knowledge is not only limited to production and labor. Through students’ creativity, they can help enhance the industrial value of their own towns.
With the development of the curriculum, the local students' understanding of agriculture will be re-trained so that those who are interested in farming will have a new vision of their future careers . As a result, students no longer think that the only way out for their future is to work in the city. Consequently, this practice may help reduce the continuous outflow of the rural population.
"Create sustainable opportunities for rural areas through education"
In the past, the repeated failures of other projects have reduced the trust of rural people. Therefore, we invite rural residents to participate and try to establish a mechanism that enables them to be independent and reconnected with resources in rural areas. This mechanism helps retain the cultural foundation and characteristics of the local villages while establishes an appropriate business model and transforms it into a sustainable development mechanism. Thus, our students are trained to seek opportunities in solving social issues through professional courses. In order to solve the problems of the rural areas regarding their own occupational identification and employment opportunities. Besides, we must retain local educational resources to create opportunities for the return of the population.
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University characteristic Expansion Stage Project
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Taoyuan City
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Chung Yuan Christian University
422votes
Further reading
Measures for Leaving a Message to Enter the Draw for the Live Streaming of the Opening Ceremony
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Event Period
From 13:00 to 14:00 on December 12 (Saturday), 2020
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Event Measures
Log in to your personal Facebook or Google account to proceed with leaving a message; each account with a successful message of #2020usrexpo left before the end of the live streaming of the opening ceremony will have an opportunity to enter the draw, and each account is restricted to winning the prize once only.
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List of Winners
On December 14 (Monday), 2020, the list of winners will be announced on the event official website https://2020usrexpo.org/) Announcement of the list of winners
Event Prize Content
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1st Prize
“Huei Yeh” Power Extreme Massage Gun 1 winner
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2nd Prize
Nestle Dolce Gusto Genio 2 1 winner
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3rd Prize
KINYO Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless Speaker 2 winner
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4th Prize
7-11 Gift Voucher valued at NT$200 27 winner
Announcement of the list of winners
The various prizes are expected to be notified via email and also announced on the event official website on December 14 (Monday), please will the prize winners pay attention to the prize-winning information, and send back the relevant documents according to the notices & explanations; no separate notification will be issued.
Notices
- The event period for this event is based on Taiwan time, and the delivery of the rewards is restricted to regions including Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu.
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- 1st prize ~ 2nd prize (Winning prizes with a value exceeding NT$1,000 (inclusive): Each prize winner should fill out the “Reward Collection Application and Receipt (will be announced together with the announcement of the list of winners)” within 7 days (including holidays based on the post stamp) starting from the next day with the announcement of the list of winners, and must provide a copy of both sides of the ID card. The copy must be sent to the specified place via registered mail; those passing the deadline will be deemed to give up the prize and rights, and no objections will be accepted from the prize winners.
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