Our Origin

The name "至善 (Zhì-shàn)" originates from the first chapter of The Great Learning (大學): "The way of the great learning lies in illuminating virtue, loving people, and resting ultimately in the highest goodness (至善)."

Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan is the premier partner for child and youth development, current serving regions including Taiwan, Vietnam, Yunnan, and Myanmar in Asia. Over the past two years, we have helped over 300,000 children annually with food, education, and care, ensuring they are in good company while walking the path of growing up.

In 1995, Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan was established from a benevolent thought - Master Shan-shan and his group witnessed a sick child dying in their mother's arms in central Vietnam, prompting them to take action to save more children struggling on the brink of death. After their return to Taiwan, Zhi-Shan was established and, with the support of the public, they initiated development work in Vietnam, including corrective medical intervention, care, and education for children.

Throughout the years, Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan has been involved in promoting education, reading, early childhood care, and medical treatment in six provinces of central Vietnam. In Taiwan, the foundation is deeply engaged with indigenous groups. This includes child care and development, as well as cultivating arts, skills, and talents of children in the remote villages of Jianshi and Wufeng townships of Hsinchu. Indigenous programs also include accompanying tribal children living in the city and empowering urban indigenous women to engage in household service work to gain economic independence.

In 2006, Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan extended its services to the mountainous areas of Lijiang, Yunnan, launching minority ethnic educational assistance services. In recent years, it has worked to improve rural education quality in Yunnan in line with China's poverty alleviation policies through the "Growing Up with You in Yunnan" program.

In 2016, Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan was invited by Plan International, (one of the top 50 NGOs worldwide) to become its equal partner cooperating internationally for a joint early childhood development and care (ECCD) program to provide higher-quality preschool care for children and parents in Myanmar. In 2019, Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan collaborated directly with local organization Meikswe Myanmar in Myanmar's early childhood care project, ensuring direct care for every child.

Over the past 30 years, Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan has brought together the strength of Taiwan's civil society to engage in cross-cultural, child-centered development work, receiving recognition both domestically and internationally. It is rated as an Outstanding organization by the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare,and has been commended by the Vietnamese government multiple times. Due to its outstanding reputation in international development and with 80% of its funding coming from Taiwan's civil society, Zhi-Shan Foundation Taiwan has set a precedent for nonprofit organizations in Taiwan, free from political and religious affiliations. Funds raised and managed centrally by Zhi-Shan Foundation will be mainly used for the development of children and youth in the "By your side" plans at key service sites in Asia.