History of Zonta Club of Chiayi

On November 17 1995, after ten months of preparation, sponsored, organized and monitored by ZC of Changhua, Zonta Club of Chiayi was established and chartered as the 14th Zonta Club of Area 2 District 26, International President Folake Solonke arrived Chiayi to carry out the charter ceremony in person. The club consisted of 27 members recruited by Lily Chien, who was also the charter club president. Members are elite women engaging in a variety of professions in Chiayi area, and ZC of Chiayi is the youngest Zonta club in Taiwan in terms of the average age of club members. As members had gone through a very comprehensive and rigorous training program during the preparation period, all members have gained clear and complete understanding of Zonta spirit, Zonta objectives and bylaws. As the result, the club is able to develop diversified social service programs, advocate advancing the status of women, recruit new members to retain membership growth, strengthen public relations through media and make contributions to the Zonta International Foundation (member individual gift-giving attained to 100% donation), ZC of Chiayi indeed set a role model in District 26. Because of its excellent performance of social services, the club received District 26 Outstanding Club Award in 2005.

ZC of Chiayi has established a very good cub management system since the beginning of the charter. The term of office of club president has been changed to one-year term since the third term to implement the functions of club board and committees, so that all members have an equal opportunity to pursue leadership and pass on accumulated experience in club management. Members maintain a high level of teamwork, actively participate in club events and monthly club meetings, there are more than 85 % of the members received the Perfect Attendance Award each year.

In 2006, Taiwan was separated from District 26 and became an independent district namely District 31. ZC of Chiayi began to focus its social services on the care for aboriginal tribes in Alishan. We launched "Send Books to Hometown" campaign, collecting more than ten thousand books to donate to the Alishan Elementary School to improve children's reading habits, we also held women's health care seminars, gave clothes and blankets to tribal elders, and donated vehicles to provide medical treatments in the mountain areas. In 2008, Lily Chien, Governor of District 31, held the second District 31 Conference in Chiayi, The Alishan area had been seriously damaged by a typhoon during that time. International President Beryl Stan went to the mountain area to visit the victims of the aboriginal tribes before attending the Conference, leaving a great impression to District 31 Zontians. ZC of Chiayi was invited to meet President Ma Ying-Jeou on July 19, 2013 due to its long-term contribution to aboriginal children's education and running various service projects in the aboriginal area. 

The number of foreign spouses in Taiwan has been increasing gradually, students coming from the new immigrant families generally lack of educational resources. ZC of Chiayi has continuously developed programs for teaching student etiquette required in daily life, advanced the foreign spouse’s status at home and a better parent-child relationship since 2009, and also organized summer camps to upgrade the academic competitiveness of the less privileged students.

All in all, Zonta Club of Chiayi has kept developing and expanding membership growth since it was founded, membership has reached more than 43 people in 2011. We have good leadership training program and club president succession system, follow Zonta aims and objectives to promote social services, increase Zonta publicity and advocate the issues of women's rights via media, members constantly make 100% individual gift-giving to ZIF in many years; above all, ZC of Chiayi retains the top one record of attendance rate in District 31.