2007-09-09 21:29 Efly Mission Possible
Back in 1997, Mike Chou left his past as Associated Professor in ... (ReadersDigest, May. 2007, Asian Edition) .......
ReadersDigest May.2007 (Asian Edition)
Back in 1997, Mike Chou left his past as Associated Professor in IT at National Taiwan Normal University. Believing in respecting and caring for mankind, and with his confidence in the immense possibilities brought by the latest technology, Chou founded the EFLY organistion.
Chou was diagnosed with infantile paralysis at the age of one. Before his 4th birthday, he had already undergone numerous operations. He said: I was ashamed to be diagnosed with such syndrome and I only lived in my own world. But his mother, Ms.Lee, changed his mind.
'My mother did everything she could, in order to improve the life of disabled people in our society, so they can integrate better. She even founded an organisation for disabled children in Taipei ,' he added. Even though his mother is no longer around, he will remember her forever as a model and wants to follow her step to help those with physical disabilities.
He hopes that he can be an example for others with physical disabilities. Chou believes that with boundless imagination and creativity, coupled with respect of humanity and the help of technology, even disabled people can work and live independently.
However, not everything goes smoothly within the organisation. As most members are severely disabled, they cannot control their bodies and have difficulty working efficiently. Chou explains: I will never give up. I want them to them, even if one is disabled, that does not mean that one should lie in bed all day. If you cannot even accept yourself, then why should the society accept you?
Having encountered unfriendliness of the society and fiery competition in the IT sector, Chou and his partner at work have to think of a solution. Eventually they decided that they should specialise in charity. Chou believes that working for charity is a good cause and will bring a meaning of life for the members of EFLY. They set up blogs which allow people to find their teachers, and they turned out to be a success.
Helping others brings pleasure and confidence to the members at EFLY. Although the tasks such as typing, which is thought to be fairly easy by most people, is sometimes a big challenge for the disabled. Nevertheless, all members at EFLY are diligent and try their best to complete all their tasks.
Chou, who turns 48 years old this year, concluded: despite my doubts about the future, I still have faith in our society. I hope our organisation will keep up the good works it has been doing. Maybe my health will gradually deteriorate and I might even collapse one day, but we have managed to bring about a special organisation and I am certainly proud of it.
More reading on Efly Mission Possible:
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ReadersDigest May.2007 (Asian Edition)
Back in 1997, Mike Chou left his past as Associated Professor in IT at National Taiwan Normal University. Believing in respecting and caring for mankind, and with his confidence in the immense possibilities brought by the latest technology, Chou founded the EFLY organistion.
Chou was diagnosed with infantile paralysis at the age of one. Before his 4th birthday, he had already undergone numerous operations. He said: I was ashamed to be diagnosed with such syndrome and I only lived in my own world. But his mother, Ms.Lee, changed his mind.
'My mother did everything she could, in order to improve the life of disabled people in our society, so they can integrate better. She even founded an organisation for disabled children in Taipei ,' he added. Even though his mother is no longer around, he will remember her forever as a model and wants to follow her step to help those with physical disabilities.
He hopes that he can be an example for others with physical disabilities. Chou believes that with boundless imagination and creativity, coupled with respect of humanity and the help of technology, even disabled people can work and live independently.
However, not everything goes smoothly within the organisation. As most members are severely disabled, they cannot control their bodies and have difficulty working efficiently. Chou explains: I will never give up. I want them to them, even if one is disabled, that does not mean that one should lie in bed all day. If you cannot even accept yourself, then why should the society accept you?
Having encountered unfriendliness of the society and fiery competition in the IT sector, Chou and his partner at work have to think of a solution. Eventually they decided that they should specialise in charity. Chou believes that working for charity is a good cause and will bring a meaning of life for the members of EFLY. They set up blogs which allow people to find their teachers, and they turned out to be a success.
Helping others brings pleasure and confidence to the members at EFLY. Although the tasks such as typing, which is thought to be fairly easy by most people, is sometimes a big challenge for the disabled. Nevertheless, all members at EFLY are diligent and try their best to complete all their tasks.
Chou, who turns 48 years old this year, concluded: despite my doubts about the future, I still have faith in our society. I hope our organisation will keep up the good works it has been doing. Maybe my health will gradually deteriorate and I might even collapse one day, but we have managed to bring about a special organisation and I am certainly proud of it.
More reading on Efly Mission Possible:
=> Flickr
=> YouTube
=> TV Reports
=> Award
