Five Questions With: Ching Tien, Founder and President, Ching Tien Foundation for Women and 2018 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award Finalist

Few leaders embody the transformative power of education as well as Ching Tien. After surviving the Cultural Revolution and immigrating to Canada, Ching turned personal adversity into a lifelong mission: to advance gender equality through learning. 

As the founder of Educating Girls of Rural China and now the Ching Tien Foundation for Women, she has championed the potential of women too often left behind, providing thousands with access to education, leadership training, and a global community of support. In this conversation, Ching reflects on the roots of her advocacy, the systemic barriers women still face, and the legacy she hopes to leave for future generations.

How your own experience shaped your vision of empowering women through learning

Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s during China’s Cultural Revolution, I was denied the opportunity to complete my education beyond middle school. Instead, I was sent to the poorest rural region of Western China to work in a factory. My experience was filled with both personal hardship and the trauma of witnessing the suffering of others, particularly the suffering of rural women and girls. 

The experience of immigrating to Canada in the early 1980s, and eventually seeing my own children grow up with numerous opportunities, inspired me to take action to empower women through education. I established the Educating Girls of Rural China (EGRC) charity in 2005, driven by the conviction that educated women have educated children, and that educating women is a fundamental way to lift people out of poverty and build better societies.  

My personal experience has shown me the importance of access to education and opportunity – what is lost without education and what can be made possible with it. This life experience has solidified my vision to empower women through learning opportunities.

From Educating Girls of Rural China to Ching Tien Foundation for Women, what you have learned about the role of education in driving long-term system change for women

From 2005 to 2023, EGRC supported over 2,000 rural Chinese women in receiving high school and university education, as well as robust emotional support. Through my work, I witnessed fundamental changes. Not only did the lives of these young women change, but they also helped transform the lives of their families, communities, and future generations. Each new generation of educated women breaks the cycle of poverty and creates pathways for their future generations. 

The mission of the Ching Tien Foundation for Women extends the work of EGRC in empowering women, with a focus on preparing the next generation of young women leaders and changemakers. Our work is no longer limited to China. We now provide aspiring women leaders from Asia with global opportunities for higher education and leadership training. 

Education is the first step to achieving gender equality, and the world needs more women leaders from diverse backgrounds to focus on this important work. The Foundation’s mission is to provide opportunities to make this necessary education possible. 

How do you define leadership, and how has your approach evolved through the different chapters of your life and work

To me, leadership is about service, the courage to face challenges, and authenticity. It means taking a step forward to create change.

Early in my career, I believed leadership meant being strong and decisive. Over time, I’ve come to realize that true leadership also involves deep empathy, active listening, and creating space for others to flourish. Leading EGRC taught me the value of nurturing others’ potential, and now, with the Ching Tien Foundation for Women, I focus more on mentoring, advocacy, and capacity-building. My priority is amplifying the voices of emerging women leaders.

What barriers do you believe still exist for women from underrepresented communities, and how can those in positions of influence help remove them

The barriers are many — economic hardship, gender related discrimination, such as limited access to education, cultural expectations, violence, and lack of role models. 

In rural and marginalized communities, these challenges are compounded by geographic isolation and cultural and religious influences that restrict women. Those in positions of influence — governments, educators and business leaders should act intentionally to promote gender equality and provide opportunities for women. Equally important is the work of nonprofits and charities, such as our foundation. The NGOS at the grassroots level do such important work to raise awareness and create change within the communities that nurture the next generation. Young women need role models!

What kind of legacies do you want to leave for the next generation of women leaders

I want my legacy to be one of hope, access, and agency.

I wish to leave behind a network of empowered women who not only transform their own lives but lift others as they rise. 

I want young women to know that their voices matter, their dreams are valid, and their education is a right. 

I already see that 20 years of my work has inspired many young women to lead with purpose, give back with generosity, and face life’s challenges with strength and compassion.