Learning and Efforts Along the Da’an River -12 Years of Organizational Growth

The DDU, in collaboration with the Center of Civil society and Local Governance of National Chengchi University, invited Mr Jay Hung, the CEO of Zhi-Shan Foundation (ZSF) to deliver a speech titled “Learning and Efforts Along the Da’an River -12 Years of Organizational Growth” at the National Chengchi University on the afternoon of November 22, 2011.

The speaker first described the project in Taichung. In 1999, The ZSF initiated a project for reconstruction of 921 earthquake affected areas, 6 Atayal tribes along Da’an River in Heping, Taichung. In 2001, the “Da-an River Valley Reconstruction Center” was founded with a three-year grant from the Taichung County government. Due to the grand ended in 2004, the Center was renamed as “Da-an River Villages Work Station” fully supported and operated by ZSF. In 2006, the Taiwan Indigenous Dmavun Development Association (TIDDA), a grass-root NGO organized by local residents and heavily supported by the ZSF, was founded. In 2008, the Da-an River Villages Work Station was officially handed over to the TIDDA. Nowadays, the TIDDA provides services covering local caring, after-school learning support, and vocational training. In addition, the TIDDA is shifting towards a social enterprise by means of selling local agricultural production and handicrafts.

In the end, Mr Hung outlined four key beliefs that underpinned ZSF’s service to aboriginal communities in the case of TIDDA: First, respecting tradition while looking forward. Second, community empowerment. Third, self-subsistent and self-sufficient. Fourth, from service-providing toward community development. In addition, Mr Hung highlighted the reasons for the success of TIDDA: localising staff, diversifying income, strengthening management capacity, and expanding services.