跳到主要內容區塊
:::

Renewal on Display: Hsiu-Ying’s 50+ Journey

News

Renewal on Display: Hsiu-Ying’s 50+ Journey

At the old Taichung train station, amid the steady flow of visitors and vendors, a small market booth displayed intricate seed art creations. Behind the booth stood 64-year-old Hsiu-Ying, introducing her work with vibrant energy. Few in the crowd would know the many stages her life has gone through to reach this point.

20 years ago, Hsiu-Ying worked as a preschool teacher until her husband’s business failed, leaving the family in debt and creating an unstable, unsafe environment for her and her son. She left her career and began working as a cleaner, doing whatever was needed to support her household. These challenges didn’t knock her down; instead added to her resilience, setting the foundation for the transformations that would come later. 

Building New Skills

Hsiu-Ying first connected with The Mustard Seed Mission’s 50+ Empowerment program through the Market Entrepreneurship Training, designed for midlife and older adults seeking to develop micro-businesses. The course offered structured guidance on building small brands and managing market booths. Enrollment was selective; participants were chosen based on background, motivation, and business ideas to ensure they were well matched to become small business owners after training.

Through this program, Hsiu-Ying refined her interest in seed art into a diverse range of carefully crafted accessories and home décor. The workshops also created a supportive peer environment, with participants attending group sessions and sharing experiences that helped them grow.

Encouraged by social workers who saw her dedication, Hsiu-Ying went on to enroll in the Silver Leader Training Program. This program guided skilled seniors in developing teaching, communication, and course design skills, supported by interactive instruction, practice teaching sessions with feedback, and supervised placements in community settings. Graduates also received continued mentoring and peer support meetings after completing the program.

At first, surrounded by others with more formal professional backgrounds, Hsiu-Ying felt out of place. “I thought I’d give up at one point,” she admitted. However, encouragement from peers and social workers helped her build confidence. Today, she works as a freelance seed art creator and teaches craft courses at community centers.

The Broader Impact

These changes extended beyond Hsiu-Ying’s professional life. Her son, once puzzled by her collecting seeds for art, now helps at market events, strengthening their relationship in new ways. Such developments highlight broader gains in self-confidence and community participation. Exactly what we hope to do for our older generations.

Taiwan is approaching the threshold of a super-aged society, with projections indicating one in five people will be over 65 by 2025. The 50+ Empowerment program addresses this shift by creating practical avenues for older adults to maintain economic participation and social involvement. Through selective recruitment, structured skill-building, hands-on practice, and sustained follow-up, the program ensures participants can continue contributing within wider social and economic systems.

A New Vision for Aging

Hsiu-Ying has showcased how aging can include opportunities for continued growth and contribution. MSM’s approach provides frameworks that allow older adults to apply their expertise in new ways, supporting individual livelihoods and building more resilient communities. By strengthening pathways like these, more people can continue to grow and participate fully at every stage of life.

By advancing initiatives like these, we can reshape ideas of aging and retirement!

👉For friends in Taiwan: https://msm.pse.is/4v7fx6
🧩Support us via GlobalGiving: https://msm.pse.is/3urra2
💼Corporate Giving via Benevity: https://bit.ly/4dVydK2

Donate