Since a few years ago, Zhang Chaofan has given away 1.35 million yuan and raised 5.2 million yuan from the public to help more than 400 people with health problems, including teachers with cancer and disabled children in poor families.
Zhang was born without a left arm in Changchun, Jilin Province, but her hard work to become stronger has encouraged many. She was chosen to receive the National Ethical Role Model award (全国道德模范奖) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
In 2015, Zhang set up a handwriting and painting school in Changchun. When she found that some parents were unable to pay for the cost of their children's education, she made the lessons free and began providing 300,000 yuan every year to help them.
"I think it's important for teenagers to receive quality education because they are the future of our country," she said."I will try my best to help them get enough chances to achieve their dreams and encourage them to do their best."
In early 2020, her school was made to stop all courses because of COVID-19，but it didn't prevent her from helping the poor families. She raise materials and donations which was over 8.9 million yuan. She sent medical masks and daily necessities medical workers on the front lines of the fight against CoVID-19.
"Women in the new time should have the courage to prove themselves and also have a sense of social duty," she said."It is my great honor to be chosen as a model. This will become a driving force for me to move ahead and keep helping the poor or the disabled."
