Strive for Success

This is a story about a seal.

It was mid-January when the Amway office in Hubei was holding a Chinese New Year Celebration. Teresa Wong, Secretary-General of An Tong Fund presented a seal engraved with "Strive for Success" to young Zhong Jianwei, and told him their Fund, supported by Amway, would cover the four-year tuition fees for his university study.

In order to improve the study and living environments of orphans in Xinzhou District of Wuhan, An Tong Fund supports the Wuhan Charity Federation for a program helping orphaned children. Zhong Jianwei was among the first beneficiaries.

Four years ago, Zhong Jianwei was in third grade as a junior middle school student. He gave a gift to Secretary-General Teresa whom he called Aunty Wong. It was a seal he engraved with the words "Strive for Success" and said that he would get it back from his Aunty Wong if he was admitted into a university in four years. Teresa agreed and a four-year date was made between them.

Zhong Jianwei was born to an ordinary peasant family in the suburb of Wuhan. His father died when he was only two years old and his mother left five-year-old Zhong Jianwei to his grandparents. His elderly grandparents were not able to care for him, so Zhong Jianwei was sent to Wuhan Children Welfare Institute at the age of seven, where he spent the next six years. Before graduating from middle school, he almost dropped out due to lack of money.

Faced with numerous difficulties, young Zhong Jianwei felt at a loss. But with the encouragement and help of Amway, he chose not to give up. His efforts finally won the admittance to Huanggang Teachers College and his dream came true. He said it was only a start and he looked forward to helping more children like him in the future.

To see the sentimental boy grow into an optimistic young man, Teresa and Amway volunteers felt pleased. Teresa said she still remembered reading the touching words "Strive for Success" etched in the seal. "Every child has an inquisitive mind. Help them at the critical moment and give them hope, and their life will probably become different," she says.

Zhong Jianwei said he would work part-time job to save money and go to Beijing to visit his beloved Aunty Wong. He and other beneficiaries of the program, also presented a poem, "Thank You, My Mommy," to their Aunty Wong and Amway volunteers for their care and support. The poem expressed the sincere gratitude:

You are the reason I never feel lonely
You are the reason I grow up happy
Your selfless contributions teach me how to return
And now I know how to love and be loved