- Prasanta Kumar Banerjee Shibpur, India Although retired after 50 years in the classroom, a teacher returns to give free lessons despite having glaucoma and throat cancer.
- Bamuu Dorjnorov Ulaan Uul, Mongolia A retired teacher living in the Gobi Desert near the Chinese border fills two glass flasks with air every week. After she has collected several weeks’ worth of air samples, she takes a twelve-hour train trip to Ulaan Baatar with the flasks to her country’s meteorological agency, which turns them over to the U.S. Embassy for shipping to NOAA’s atmospheric monitoring laboratory in Boulder, Colorado.
- Deng Xiaolan Malan, China When a music teacher retired from teaching in Beijing, she returned to her village and taught the children to play instruments and then formed a band.
- Kuntal Kumar Ghosh Rahara, India A retired high school teacher, an awardee of President medal, sets up a school for poor children.
- Maria Dolores “Maruxa” Pita Manila, Philippines A retired teacher sets up a foundation to help to educate and feed the street children of Manila.
- Natabar Sarangi Orissa, India With the help of just a few employees, a retired teacher has collected over 350 varieties of native seeds across India in an effort to save his country’s traditional farming practices.
- Saw Po Ben Mae La refugee camp, Thailand A retired Burmese teacher is director of a course for refugees wanting to become teachers in Burma.
- Hadram Bin Shalan Abha, Saudi Arabia A retired Saudi teacher has built a now-coveted guesthouse using discarded materials from nearby construction sites.
- Shao Ling Kaohsiung, Taiwan A retired teacher has cared for about 400 stray cats over the past six years in her home and in her community.
- Shen Cuiying Shanghai, China A retired teacher was presented the Shining World Compassion Award, together with Master’s publications for her assistance to children in earthquake-affected areas. She auctioned off her fashionable home and donated all of the proceeds for the building of a medium-sized school of hope.
- G. K. Upawansa Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka A retired school headmaster is teaching farmers who have been devastated through using chemical farming to use ecological farming with success.
- Liliosa Genova Valiente Pili, Camarines Sur, Philippines An 85-year-old retired teacher works with preschool children of very poor families in their homes.
- Wang Rongping Beijing, China A retired teachers tells of her work with Tibetese students.
- Wu Xiamin Beijing, China A retired disabled associate professor of a Chinese university won the title of the “Most Compassionate Philanthropic Model” of the China Charity Award.
- Xu Niankui Putou District, China A retired teacher gives “thank you” letters to people who offer their seats up on the bus.
