Taiwan vegetable vendor wins Asia's top prize for charitable efforts

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Ms Chen Shu-chu

A Taiwanese vegetable vendor who gave away huge sums to charity and environmental activists from Indonesia and Bangladesh have won Asia's Magsaysay award this year, organisers said on Thursday.

Ms Chen Shu-chu, Mr Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto, Ms Syeda Rizwana Hasan and three others were cited by the Philippines-based foundation for their work in helping ease Asian poverty and empowering ordinary people.

Ms Chen, who sleeps on the floor and eats just two vegetarian meals a day, was cited for her achievement in giving away US$320,000 (S$403,000) out of her daily earnings as a vegetable vendor.

'The gravity and scale of Asia's social problems today are such that they demand large, complex and long-term programmes of assistance,' the foundation said in a statement announcing the winners of the annual award.