February 2025
We are excited to welcome Faith back to the Evergreen Education Foundation (EEF) as a member of our Advisory Board!
Prof. Faith Chao, who founded EEF in 2001 and served as President until December 2017, has been a cornerstone of our mission to bring educational opportunities to children in rural China. Her vision, centered around creating access to knowledge through libraries, has had a profound impact on communities throughout the country. Under her leadership, the China Evergreen Rural Library (CERL) Service Center won the prestigious Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award in 2004, solidifying EEF’s global reputation for advancing educational equity. Prof. Chao’s leadership went beyond securing funding and awards; she was dedicated to building sustainable, transformative programs that empowered rural libraries and educators. Through initiatives like the Teacher Professional Development & Training Series and the establishment of e-reading rooms in libraries, Prof. Chao helped to equip libraries and teachers with the tools and skills they needed to support their communities. Her efforts to expand information literacy and introduce project-based learning have impacted countless teachers and students.
We are thrilled that Prof. Chao will now lend her expertise to our Family Story Initiative, a project that focuses on preserving and sharing the rich stories and traditions of families in rural China. Her deep knowledge of rural education and her passion for innovative programs will be invaluable as we continue to grow and expand this initiative.
Prof. Chao’s legacy at EEF is both vast and enduring, and we are honored to have her guidance once again. We look forward to her continued impact as we work together to inspire and empower the next generation of learners. Welcome back, Faith!