The first day back at school for the autumn semester on August 30 was a memorable one for the 85 students that took part in the Hope Reading Programme in Taiwan.

About 25 staff from BNP Paribas Cardif Taiwan volunteered for a day teaching reading and financial management habits, offering free books, and mentoring during cultural activities to students at Ruei-gan Elementary School.

Staff acted out a story designed to inspire the students’ imaginations. They also opened a mini-bookstore that gave the students a chance to pick their favourite books from a selection of more than 120 recommended titles. Volunteers went on to lead a lesson about math and money management.

The Hope Reading programme classifies Ruei-gan school as a remote elementary school. It is in a mountainous area of New Taipei city, surrounded by rural communities – some of which are considered to be disadvantaged.

This was the fifth year that BNP Paribas Cardif Taiwan has sponsored the Hope Reading programme. Since the beginning, its goals have remained the same: to provide school-aged children with learning experiences, and to give Cardif employees an opportunity to give back to Taiwanese society.