A snack van owner in Nantou is offering free snacks to kids who are struggling at school. Chen Tien-hsiang of Shuili Township was at the bottom of the class when he was at school. But he kept on going in the face of every challenge thrown at him. Decades later, he wants to help local kids find their resilience too, no matter how easy or hard they find their studies.

Pan-fried baozi are sizzling nicely.

With an egg on top, a scallion pancake is a filling meal. This food van in Nantou’s Shuili Township is a favorite with local schoolkids. And for a few pupils, the meal is on the house. But only if you can prove you scored zero in a test…

Chen Tien-hsiang
Snack van owner
I started my business 20 years ago. I’ve done some different things. I thought of how I used to get zero in tests, and I wanted to give up on myself. But now I’ve got capacities, and I want to do what I can to help kids.

Mr. Chen has sold fried baozi and pancakes from the back of his mini truck for 20 years. He’s been a top purveyor of snacks in the township for decades. But in his school days, he was often at the bottom of the class rankings. Now he wants to encourage other kids who don’t find school easy. If a kid presents an exam paper marked zero, they can take home a free baozi or pancake to cheer themselves up.

Chen Tien-hsiang
Snack van owner
It doesn’t mean you’re incapable of studying. At least you gave the test a go, sincerely. People who are good at studying get lots of benefits at school. But people who get zero, who can’t study – what do they get?

Mr. Chen encourages kids not to give up on themselves. But he insists that test paper must be filled with answers, even if they’re all wrong. You can’t hand in a test you didn’t give a shot. Handing in a test you didn’t even try means you didn’t give yourself a chance, he says. He hopes his snacks can help struggling kids find the motivation to work a bit harder at school, and not abandon themselves.

Member of public
I guess it’s a creative project. I think it can encourage children, make them think it’s not something to be ashamed of if you get zero in a test.

Mr. Chen says he hopes his offer will also give struggling students a chance to chat about their difficulties. He can give them an empathetic ear, since he knows just what it feels like. And maybe he can even help them work out what they really want in life.