https://www.scmp.com/rss/6286/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Hong Kong’s annual fundraiser, Operation Santa Claus (OSC), has wrapped up its campaign this year, raising more than HK$19 million (US$2.4 million) for charitable projects and victims of the Tai Po fire – nearly double its target. The campaign, launched on November 4, had aimed to raise at least HK$11 million for 13 charitable projects. However, fundraising intensified less than three weeks later, after the Tai Po fire broke out on November 26. An emergency appeal was launched to raise funds to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342273/operation-santa-claus-raises-hk19-million-hong-kong-fire-victims-other-causes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342273/operation-santa-claus-raises-hk19-million-hong-kong-fire-victims-other-causes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:58:16 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui On a sunny Saturday, 25 employees from the Hong Kong law firm Deacons spent the morning working side by side with 18 elderly volunteers, weeding, tilling the soil, and transplanting seedlings, while sharing laughter and lessons on organic farming and healthy eating. The event on January 24 took place on the rooftop of Metroplaza in Kwai Fong, at an urban farm run by Farm the City, one of 13 charities selected to receive funding this year from the annual fundraising campaign, Operation Santa... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3341484/operation-santa-claus-law-firm-volunteers-dig-deep-hong-kong-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3341484/operation-santa-claus-law-firm-volunteers-dig-deep-hong-kong-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:38:40 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui A balanced diet benefits everyone, but it is especially important for the neurodiverse community, according to Love 21 Foundation, a Hong Kong charity dedicated to improving their physical and mental health. The foundation is one of 13 NGOs selected to receive funding from this year’s Operation Santa Claus (OSC) charity campaign. With its second consecutive year of support for a three-year funded project, the charity will be able to continue offering personalised nutrition plans and tailored... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3341192/hong-kong-charity-helping-neurodivergent-people-eat-better-exercise-more-and-belong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3341192/hong-kong-charity-helping-neurodivergent-people-eat-better-exercise-more-and-belong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:44:30 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui A charity founded in 1979 to support Vietnamese war refugee children in Hong Kong will launch a programme this year to train teenagers from ethnic minority groups as sports coaches for mainstream youngsters. Treats’ “EM-SPARK” project will train 30 ethnic minority youngsters aged 15 to 18 to coach 3,504 mainstream primary school students and community members in kin-ball, a team game where players work together to keep a giant ball in the air, and taspony, a tennis-like sport played with a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340401/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-help-minority-youth-become-sports-coaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340401/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-help-minority-youth-become-sports-coaches?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 02:15:08 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui How do you get youngsters interested in lessons about saving, budgeting and investing? Definitely not with lectures, said the founders of Talents Foundation, a Hong Kong charity that aims to teach young people how to manage their finances and achieve their career and life goals in a fun way. Founders Arthur Hui Ka-yu and David Wong have developed a curriculum, including a Monopoly-like board game, that teaches primary and secondary school students how to seize opportunities, such as job... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340284/smart-money-how-hong-kong-charity-makes-finance-lessons-fun-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340284/smart-money-how-hong-kong-charity-makes-finance-lessons-fun-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 05:15:08 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui When Libby Alexander and Simon Holliday noticed that many domestic helpers and Hong Kong residents at local beaches could not swim, they decided to take action. They soon learned that despite Hong Kong being surrounded by water and having an abundance of pools, many residents did not have the opportunity to learn to swim. Swimming lessons are not mandatory, many schools lack pools and private classes are expensive. A 2014 survey by Baptist University found that 46.7 per cent of Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339658/operation-santa-claus-charity-changing-lives-through-swimming-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339658/operation-santa-claus-charity-changing-lives-through-swimming-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:06:18 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Passing, tackling and scrums – all part of the sport of rugby. But in some Hong Kong schools, they take on a deeper meaning – helping to bridge divides between students of different backgrounds. Since 2013, the charity Rugby For Good has been introducing the game to school campuses, using sport as a tool to bring together young people from diverse ethnicities and communities. This year, the NGO is one of 13 charities selected by the annual fundraising campaign Operation Santa Claus (OSC) to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339428/more-game-rugby-helps-hong-kong-charity-tackle-cultural-divides-schools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339428/more-game-rugby-helps-hong-kong-charity-tackle-cultural-divides-schools?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:50:32 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Hong Kong children whose schools and parents prioritise academic success over outdoor activities have few chances to experience nature, a charity has said. Gaia Education Limited said the severity of the “nature deficit in children” in the city was reflected in a study that found many primary and secondary students spent only 4.43 hours learning in natural areas each school year. The 2023-24 study by the Outdoor Wildlife Learning Hong Kong charity found that nearly 30 per cent of schools did not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338840/operation-santa-claus-charity-helps-hong-kong-children-climb-jump-and-explore-nature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338840/operation-santa-claus-charity-helps-hong-kong-children-climb-jump-and-explore-nature?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:06:59 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui On a sunny weekday, Hongkonger Lai Yee-man, 70, pulled weeds from a plot of leafy vegetables, shielding her face from the sun with a large white hat. But Lai was not on a typical farm; she was on the rooftop of a shopping centre in the middle of an urban neighbourhood. “When Hong Kong people come here, they are surprised to see the vegetables. They say ‘Oh wow, that’s how eggplants are grown!’ Some kids have never seen these things being grown,” said Lai, pointing to bell peppers, dragon fruit,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338450/operation-santa-claus-elderly-hongkongers-find-new-purpose-rooftop-farms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338450/operation-santa-claus-elderly-hongkongers-find-new-purpose-rooftop-farms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 02:21:16 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui A Hong Kong charity providing free lifelong care for people with severe disabilities will move to a new home next year and offer an even wider array of support, thanks to money from the Operation Santa Claus (OSC) annual fundraising drive. The Home of Loving Faithfulness (HOLF) said it would offer speech, physical, occupational, art, music and play-based therapies to improve the lives of its 17 residents. The home’s residents range from aged seven to 74 and have mild to severe intellectual and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338145/hong-kong-charity-get-funding-expand-services-people-disabilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338145/hong-kong-charity-get-funding-expand-services-people-disabilities?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:05:17 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui The deadly inferno that raged through a housing estate in Hong Kong last month has prompted youngsters at charity Kids4Kids to spring into action to help children affected by the blaze. Last month’s fire swept through seven of Wang Fuk Court’s eight blocks, raging for about 43 hours and claiming 161 lives. While the group was already planning a Christmas toy collection, it has stepped up the drive and aims to give a new toy to every child affected by the tragedy. Founded in 2008, the charity’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3337710/charity-vows-give-every-hong-kong-fire-affected-child-new-toy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3337710/charity-vows-give-every-hong-kong-fire-affected-child-new-toy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:35:12 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui A charity in Hong Kong that quietly helps hundreds of injured workers every year will soon get much-needed financial support to assist more employees and their families. The Hong Kong Workers’ Health Centre (HKWHC) is one of 13 charities selected this year to receive funding from the annual Operation Santa Claus (OSC) fundraising campaign. The funding will enable the centre to help 120 injured workers and their carers through its Care, Support & Connect project next year. “People think that if... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336839/how-hong-kong-charity-helps-injured-workers-get-back-their-feet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336839/how-hong-kong-charity-helps-injured-workers-get-back-their-feet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:15:07 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui One of Asia’s largest philanthropic organisations, the Shaw Foundation, has pledged to continue supporting small charities in Hong Kong and urged the public to do the same, after making a generous donation to victims of last month’s catastrophic fire in Tai Po. The foundation made a HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) contribution to help victims of the Wang Fuk Court fire, which broke out on November 26 and raged for 43 hours. The deadly fire killed at least 160 people, injured 79 others and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336676/operation-santa-claus-helps-hong-kongs-shaw-foundation-uplift-smaller-charities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336676/operation-santa-claus-helps-hong-kongs-shaw-foundation-uplift-smaller-charities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 02:15:07 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Two non-governmental organisations serving Hong Kong’s community of about 400,000 domestic helpers, mostly women from the Philippines and Indonesia, have joined forces to train some of them as community leaders to support their peers. Many NGOs can lack the resources and capacity to help individual workers, who work long hours far from home and face a variety of challenges. But Uplifters and EmpowerU have collaborated to create a programme that supports domestic workers in helping each other... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336304/operation-santa-claus-helps-hong-kong-domestic-workers-rise-community-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3336304/operation-santa-claus-helps-hong-kong-domestic-workers-rise-community-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 02:15:08 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Imagine waking up one day and suddenly being unable to use your legs. That was what happened to Rain Shiu Tin-yung in Hong Kong when he was six. “He got up that morning, but his knees hurt so much that he couldn’t walk. He was in so much pain,” Shiu’s mother, Apple Kwok Siu-ping, recalled. The pain only worsened. “All his joints were inflamed. It was so painful he would wake up crying,” Kwok said. “He went from being able to walk to not walking at all.” It took several visits to the doctors and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335627/operation-santa-claus-helps-hong-kong-children-rare-rheumatic-diseases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335627/operation-santa-claus-helps-hong-kong-children-rare-rheumatic-diseases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:15:08 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui A project offering counselling to teenagers with depression and anxiety in Hong Kong will be expanded next year to reach more students, after about half of those it has helped showed no further signs of mental health issues, according to a local charity. Mind HK, the charity running the three-year initiative, also offers psychological support to people affected by the inferno at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, where at least 159 people were killed and 79 others injured after a blaze swept through... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335501/operation-santa-claus-backs-expansion-hong-kong-teen-counselling-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335501/operation-santa-claus-backs-expansion-hong-kong-teen-counselling-project?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 08:09:02 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui What brings Hongkongers together to battle it out on the squash courts, run around the city’s landmarks dressed in red and green, and show off their culinary skills in a cook-off? It’s the annual Operation Santa Claus (OSC) fundraising drive. Dating back to the 1960s, when RTHK presenters began staging creative charity stunts – including winter dives into Victoria Harbour – to raise funds for underprivileged children, the initiative was resurrected in 1988 by RTHK and the South China Morning... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332102/playgrounds-boardrooms-hong-kong-comes-together-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3332102/playgrounds-boardrooms-hong-kong-comes-together-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:08:11 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Hong Kong’s annual fundraiser, Operation Santa Claus (OSC), was officially launched on Tuesday with an aim of raising HK$11 million (US$1.41 million) this year to support 13 local charities’ projects benefiting children and youth, the elderly and individuals with disabilities and mental health challenges. Under this year’s theme, “Building Bridges”, which calls for using the power of compassion to connect people and inspire collective action for a better community, the campaign will address... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3331526/hong-kongs-operation-santa-claus-eyes-hk11-million-13-charitable-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3331526/hong-kongs-operation-santa-claus-eyes-hk11-million-13-charitable-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 13:28:50 +0000 Two basketball teams from Dah Sing Bank squared off at Hong Kong Kowloon Centre, with players fighting for the ball to score. During the game at the gymnasium of the Chinese YMCA on December 7, financial service manager Tony Lau Tung-kit practically flew snatching the ball. The tournament aimed to support Hong Kong’s charities that help people in need, from the elderly to those with disabilities and youth from low-resource backgrounds. “Usually, when we play ball, it’s mainly for our health, to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3290627/hong-kong-bank-employees-jump-shots-raise-money-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3290627/hong-kong-bank-employees-jump-shots-raise-money-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 05:03:24 +0000 A Hong Kong charity that has designed courses for children and young people with special education needs (SEN) and workshops for their families to strengthen their mental, physical and social health will be able to serve more of those in need, thanks to extra support from an annual fundraising drive. Starting next year, the charity, Be Priceless, will conduct courses and family workshops for 125 children aged from four years to 17 and youth in the 18-25 group, as well as 195 carers. The courses... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3288639/how-group-sowing-seed-self-value-among-hong-kongs-sen-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3288639/how-group-sowing-seed-self-value-among-hong-kongs-sen-children?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:54:54 +0000 Sakshi Vasudev used to be a “very shy B or C student” before she joined Kids4Kids, the Hong Kong charity that she said changed her life and gave her what the city’s education system could not. Now 23, Vasudev said she found encouragement, mentoring and support at Kids4Kids when the local education system focused on rote learning and academically gifted children. “It’s very much about remembering and copying that into your examination. There’s no creativity … With Kids4Kids, we’re giving you the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3288474/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-empowering-youngsters-make-impact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3288474/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-empowering-youngsters-make-impact?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Nov 2024 06:07:55 +0000 A Hong Kong Paralympic gold medallist’s recent experience of discrimination at a restaurant has focused attention on a problem that mainstream society often overlooks – the lack of public access for people with disabilities. For local charity Parks and Trails, the experience of boccia champion Ho Yuen-kei was painfully all too common, and accessibility issues were not limited to urban areas but extended to the countryside, where its efforts were focused. The charity was founded as a digital... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3287678/hong-kong-charity-wants-more-access-wheelchair-users-city-and-nature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3287678/hong-kong-charity-wants-more-access-wheelchair-users-city-and-nature?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Nov 2024 06:15:20 +0000 The office of Hong Kong charity Love 21 Foundation in San Po Kong is not your typical workplace set-up. Its two floors have a big exercise hall, a smaller fitness training room and plenty of gym equipment. It is a favourite hang-out spot for Nathan Leung Hiu-fung, a 26-year-old with Down’s syndrome. “The sports I do here are some muscle training, regular weekly dance sessions on the second floor and personal training on the 11th floor here, and other things to keep up the exercise habit, which I... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3287486/hong-kong-charity-helps-neurodiverse-people-achieve-their-full-potential-through-fitness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3287486/hong-kong-charity-helps-neurodiverse-people-achieve-their-full-potential-through-fitness?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Nov 2024 04:28:08 +0000 Ibrahim, a father of two teenagers and an asylum seeker in Hong Kong, says he feels helpless for not being able to provide for his children, as buying new trainers or even educational tools needed for their learning such as laptops are out of his reach. Because of his status, he cannot legally work, even though he has been in Hong Kong for 19 years. “I have kids, but I can’t take care of them. I’m helpless for my kids,” said Ibrahim, who is from Africa. “They always complain, ‘Why don’t I have... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3287217/laptop-scheme-set-bridge-tech-gap-children-asylum-seekers-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3287217/laptop-scheme-set-bridge-tech-gap-children-asylum-seekers-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:54:56 +0000 At a park at a Hong Kong housing estate, an elderly South Asian man sits quietly by himself as a group of ethnic Chinese residents chat nearby. This snapshot is all too common in the city’s Eastern district, which is home to a large population of South Asian residents. Some residents in the area are elderly people from Pakistan, India and Nepal who have lived in Hong Kong for decades and came to the city to take care of their grandchildren while their sons and daughters worked long hours. Emily... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286979/operation-santa-claus-inclusion-drive-looks-hong-kongs-ethnic-minority-elders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286979/operation-santa-claus-inclusion-drive-looks-hong-kongs-ethnic-minority-elders?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2024 02:38:50 +0000 Nearly 1,500 Hong Kong school pupils will be offered psychological counselling services on campus if they suffer from depression or anxiety under a new initiative to improve support networks by expanding the pool of counsellors. With support from annual fundraising drive Operation Santa Claus (OSC), local charity Mind HK will launch the Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT) project, under which psychologists will give 11 months of intensive training to graduates from universities’... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286937/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-group-train-well-being-practitioners-help-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286937/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-group-train-well-being-practitioners-help-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 11:31:46 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Eight-year-old Cheuk Ka’s world is a studio flat in Hong Kong that she shares with her mother, younger sister and the family’s domestic helper. Born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic neuromuscular disorder that causes muscle weakness and loss of movement, she has been bedridden her whole life and breathes using a ventilator. While she cannot go outside to play or attend school, the Families of SMA Foundation has worked to relieve her hardship and that of many other patients. The NGO,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286864/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-helps-sma-patients-manage-day-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286864/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-helps-sma-patients-manage-day-day?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Nov 2024 08:27:23 +0000 Seven years ago, an avid triathlete founded a charity to encourage Hongkongers facing adversity to foster a positive mindset and regain their self-confidence, but how can exercising help them find a way out of their predicaments? Andrew Ng Kwok Chuen, CEO of the Hong Kong charity Sports Change Life Foundation, said working out had “everything” to do with reforming inmates, helping rehabilitated people give back to society, feeding the poor and elderly, and ensuring youth were on the right... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286705/operation-santa-claus-athlete-helping-hongkongers-overcome-adversity-through-sports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286705/operation-santa-claus-athlete-helping-hongkongers-overcome-adversity-through-sports?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2024 06:09:19 +0000 A charity which has served more than 10,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing Hongkongers for nearly two decades will expand to meet the mental health needs of clients and carers. Silence aims to launch a project to provide counselling, mental health talks, museum visits and forest outings for its beneficiaries next year, with funding from annual fundraising drive Operation Santa Claus (OSC). The goal is to raise mental health awareness among people with hearing problems and their carers, help them... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286320/operation-santa-claus-charity-interpreting-deaf-hongkongers-aims-offer-mental-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3286320/operation-santa-claus-charity-interpreting-deaf-hongkongers-aims-offer-mental-support?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 02:37:54 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui Discovery Mind Educational Organization has participated in Hong Kong’s annual Operation Santa Claus (OSC) fundraising drive for 18 years. For 13 of those years, it has been awarded the title of top school fundraiser by OSC, the annual fundraising campaign organised by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK. The small community of 358 students over two kindergartens, one primary school, and play centres in Discovery Bay and Tung Chung has raised a total of HK$1,864,363... https://www.scmp.com/yp/native/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3248463/small-community-educational-institutions-raises-big-funds-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/native/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3248463/small-community-educational-institutions-raises-big-funds-operation-santa-claus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jan 2024 02:46:22 +0000 What do dinosaurs, Hawaiian hula skirt dancers and Top Gun pilots have in common? They – well, players dressed like them – battled it out on the squash courts of the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley on November 18 to raise money for Operation Santa Claus (OSC). Now into its 25th year, the Wing Ding Squash Charity Tournament raised more than HK$447,000 (US$57,200) for OSC, an annual fundraising campaign organised by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK to help local... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3243624/operation-santa-claus-squash-players-prove-be-top-guns-raising-money-hong-kong-charities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3243624/operation-santa-claus-squash-players-prove-be-top-guns-raising-money-hong-kong-charities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Dec 2023 02:00:22 +0000 Nisma, an Egyptian mother who trailed her husband to Hong Kong four years ago, felt overwhelmed when her 12-year-old son was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), muscle weakness, dyslexia and heart problems. “We did not know what to do,” said Nisma, who asked to use pseudonyms for herself and her son “Adam”. She said the family had relied on the public healthcare system before learning about the Zubin Mahtani Gidumal Foundation, which provided Adam with 10 free therapy... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242554/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-centre-helps-ethnic-minority-children-special-needs-get-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242554/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-centre-helps-ethnic-minority-children-special-needs-get-track?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Nov 2023 02:00:14 +0000 Growing up in a public housing estate in Hong Kong, Dan Cheung Lok-kan’s world consisted of only his family, schoolmates and the buildings in his neighbourhood of Yuen Long. His security guard father and housewife mother could not afford to send him abroad and he never met anyone from overseas, even though he was growing up in a supposedly international city. But in high school Cheung was given a life-changing opportunity after winning a youth business development contest. ‘Giving back dignity’:... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242562/operation-santa-claus-sky-limit-these-underprivileged-young-hongkongers-embracing-global-mindset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242562/operation-santa-claus-sky-limit-these-underprivileged-young-hongkongers-embracing-global-mindset?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Nov 2023 02:00:20 +0000 Promoting sign language has been an uphill battle in Hong Kong, where it is not commonly learned by people with a hearing impairment and those around them, according to a charity devoted to teaching the skill. The lack of sign language fluency in the city prompted SLCO Community Resources to launch a three-year-project in 2022 to create a community that can communicate with hand gestures and signs, focusing on both special needs students and also their parents and teachers. Effective Signed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242485/breaking-down-communication-barriers-hong-kong-charity-teaches-sign-language-people-hearing-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242485/breaking-down-communication-barriers-hong-kong-charity-teaches-sign-language-people-hearing-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Nov 2023 02:00:18 +0000 Every morning, charity Foodlink Foundation sends its fleet of vans to supermarkets and retail chains across Hong Kong to pick up food that would otherwise go to waste, such as soon-to-expire pasta and slightly bruised or overripe fruit. Boxes full of fresh produce and packaged food are then delivered to Foodlink Mart, the charity’s 250 sq ft store located in a shopping centre in Kwun Tong. The store’s manager and elderly volunteers work feverishly to unpack the boxes, placing the apples,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242314/big-help-how-hong-kong-charity-foodlink-foundation-reduces-both-food-waste-and-hunger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242314/big-help-how-hong-kong-charity-foodlink-foundation-reduces-both-food-waste-and-hunger?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Nov 2023 02:30:11 +0000 A long-established Hong Kong charity set up to help people living in poverty is to launch a new project to help elderly clients avoid falls and the risk of broken bones. The project by Saint Barnabas’ Society and Home will assess 100 underprivileged elderly people for fall injury risk and those judged to be in need will get follow-up consultations, examinations, medicines, a walking aid, fall prevention shoes and therapist-guided exercise sessions. “After Covid, many people, especially the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242071/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-aims-help-prevent-potentially-fatal-falls-among-high-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242071/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-aims-help-prevent-potentially-fatal-falls-among-high-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Nov 2023 02:00:43 +0000 When Hailey* started her first full-time job, she was shocked that within a couple of weeks, one of her supervisors started sexually abusing her by touching her inappropriately. She informed her company’s human resources department, but after they made her tell her story several times and took more than eight months to deal with her complaint, Hailey said they asked her, instead of him, to leave the company. “I felt it was very unfair … I kept thinking ‘I’m the victim, why am I the one who needs... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241974/operation-santa-claus-project-help-hong-kong-victims-sex-abuse-win-justice-benefit-fundraising-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241974/operation-santa-claus-project-help-hong-kong-victims-sex-abuse-win-justice-benefit-fundraising-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Nov 2023 02:00:38 +0000 About 1,500 teenage girls in Hong Kong will receive training to improve their financial literacy skills and encouragement to develop a career in the sector under a pilot project spearheaded by the local chapter of a UK-based international charity group. Inspiring Girls Hong Kong aims to empower secondary pupils from low-income backgrounds and ethnic minority communities in their career development journey under the “EmpowerHer Future: Girls Social Mobility” project. Funding from UBS, donated via... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241889/closing-gender-gap-1500-hong-kong-girls-receive-financial-literacy-training-career-support-under?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241889/closing-gender-gap-1500-hong-kong-girls-receive-financial-literacy-training-career-support-under?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Nov 2023 02:00:10 +0000 A Hong Kong charity helping young people with sexual and reproductive health issues will soon launch a project to teach them the importance of respect and consent in relationships, after seeing a surge in unwanted pregnancies and harassment. The project by Teen’s Key Hong Kong, titled “Key to Healthy Consent”, aims to equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to enjoy healthy relationships through a targeted curriculum. The initiative is supported by the annual fundraising drive... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241698/operation-santa-claus-young-hongkongers-learn-about-respect-consent-relationships-charity-dealing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241698/operation-santa-claus-young-hongkongers-learn-about-respect-consent-relationships-charity-dealing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Nov 2023 02:00:10 +0000 In a studio in Hong Kong, 11-year-old Elia, who suffers from a rare disease, settled into a cross-legged position, preparing to take part in a unique yoga session. Following her instructor’s guidance, Elia raised her arms, one by one, reaching as high as she could, and then pulled her feet close to her ears. Such yoga poses can be especially challenging for individuals like Elia, who has hemorrhagic telangiectasia, a disease in which blood vessels do not develop properly. Hong Kong NGOs must... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241570/hong-kong-charity-yama-foundation-offers-free-yoga-therapy-people-disabilities-underprivileged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241570/hong-kong-charity-yama-foundation-offers-free-yoga-therapy-people-disabilities-underprivileged?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Nov 2023 02:00:23 +0000 Hong Kong parents are used to ensuring their children have regular eye and teeth examinations, but spinal health checks are much less common. The Children Chiropractic Foundation is trying to change that. The non-profit, founded in 2007 by a group of local chiropractors, provides spinal nervous system education and early screenings, as well as free adjustments for children from low-income families who suffer from spine and posture problems. This Christmas, the foundation is getting a boost from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241416/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-brings-awareness-childrens-spinal-health-offers-free?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241416/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-charity-brings-awareness-childrens-spinal-health-offers-free?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Nov 2023 02:00:16 +0000 Christian Action is at the forefront of efforts to help asylum seekers find work in Hong Kong, guiding them through cultural and linguistic barriers, as well as offering assistance to employers unfamiliar with the immigration papers held by refugees. The NGO runs the Centre for Refugees, which is based in Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, and said Hong Kong had so far granted more than 300 refugees the right to work, but noted many had a hard time securing work. But this year, the centre’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241346/giving-back-dignity-hong-kong-ngo-teaches-refugees-how-land-jobs-overcome-citys-cultural-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241346/giving-back-dignity-hong-kong-ngo-teaches-refugees-how-land-jobs-overcome-citys-cultural-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Nov 2023 02:00:23 +0000 The HUB Hong Kong, a charity dedicated to giving educational support to young people from underprivileged families, is embarking on a new mission to address students’ mental health needs after many reported increased levels of stress and anxiety in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We want to raise awareness about mental health among underprivileged children because they have no resources,” said Josephine Leung Wai-lin, the charity’s executive director. “Sometimes they don’t know what they’re... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241193/hub-hong-kong-aims-tackle-rising-stress-anxiety-among-underprivileged-youngsters-wake-covid-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241193/hub-hong-kong-aims-tackle-rising-stress-anxiety-among-underprivileged-youngsters-wake-covid-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Nov 2023 02:00:15 +0000 Hong Kong charity ImpactHK has helped 600 homeless people find safe shelter in the six years since its inception, but CEO and founder Jeff Rotmeyer says the pandemic has worsened the problem and left countless others in desperate need of assistance. “It’s got worse on the streets,” he said. “You see the average age getting younger, the percentage of women doubling and about a 30 per cent increase since the beginning of Covid-19.” The charity, which, in addition to providing shelter, helps people... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241194/everyone-here-friend-charity-impacthk-helps-hong-kongs-homeless-find-safe-shelter-sense-belonging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241194/everyone-here-friend-charity-impacthk-helps-hong-kongs-homeless-find-safe-shelter-sense-belonging?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Nov 2023 02:00:27 +0000 Fung Tai*, a 72-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, held on to a red leather purse as she sat in a wheelchair at a facility for people with disabilities in Hong Kong. She broke into a radiant smile as soon as she saw acting coordinating superintendent Gretchen Ryan and senior manager Wenda Wong Pui-ying of the Home of Loving Faithfulness (HOLF) in Sheung Shui walk into the common room. “She always has her handbag,” Ryan said. “A long-time volunteer brought back a Christmas gift for her recently.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241155/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-centre-offers-free-care-disabled-people-cradle-grave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3241155/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-centre-offers-free-care-disabled-people-cradle-grave?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Nov 2023 02:00:10 +0000 “Good morning, Ms Una,” a five-year-old Nepali girl proudly told her teacher in Cantonese after she carefully traced Chinese characters at a tutorial centre in Hong Kong. Yasmina Kapali barely knew any Chinese before she came to the charity centre run by Integrated Brilliant Education Limited (IBEL) in Jordan. “I only talked a little bit of Chinese,” said the pupil. “It’s too hard.” IBEL, founded by long-time city resident Manoj Dhar and his wife in 2015, offers subsidised Chinese-language... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3239478/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-education-charity-clears-hurdles-underprivileged-pupils-ethnic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3239478/operation-santa-claus-hong-kong-education-charity-clears-hurdles-underprivileged-pupils-ethnic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 02:00:12 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui For the third consecutive year, Singapore International School Hong Kong (SISHK) is supporting Operation Santa Claus (OSC), and this time, parents and students did it in a way that whet people’s appetites. Two donation drives were held, one by the parent-teacher association and another by the student council. The student council supported OSC through a new school initiative called “Entrepreneur Day” – an event designed to raise the school community’s entrepreneurial spirit while also raising... https://www.scmp.com/yp/native/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3214864/operation-santa-claus-singapore-international-school-hong-kong-students-and-parents-use-food-raise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/native/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3214864/operation-santa-claus-singapore-international-school-hong-kong-students-and-parents-use-food-raise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2023 00:00:09 +0000 Cindy Sui Cindy Sui When entering Think International School, a kindergarten and primary school in Kowloon Tong, visitors might notice the “Fundraising Thermometer” – a big poster taped to a playground wall showing how much money the school has raised for its fundraising drive to support Operation Santa Claus (OSC). “We have different activities we are doing to raise money for needy people. … We need to raise HK$6,000,” said Kimaya, a Year Six student. With enthusiasm from staff, parents and students, donations... https://www.scmp.com/yp/native/discover/lifestyle/article/3207442/think-international-schools-fundraising-thermometer-creative-activities-raise-money-operation-santa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/native/discover/lifestyle/article/3207442/think-international-schools-fundraising-thermometer-creative-activities-raise-money-operation-santa?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jan 2023 03:00:16 +0000 A major conglomerate in Hong Kong has renewed its initiative to fund charitable projects and drive lasting positive changes for those in need after its launch last year. The charities supported by the Swire Pacific initiative TrustTomorrow, launched under its philanthropic arm Swire Trust, included two – the Zubin Mahtani Gidumal Foundation and Integrated Brilliant Education Ltd (IBEL) – whose projects were selected this year by Operation Santa Claus (OSC) for funding. Swire has supported OSC,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3204087/how-swire-pacifics-trusttomorrow-initiative-aims-support-community-and-create-ripple-effect-kindness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3204087/how-swire-pacifics-trusttomorrow-initiative-aims-support-community-and-create-ripple-effect-kindness?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Dec 2022 02:00:15 +0000 Overripe mangoes, jelly made from bruised strawberries and chocolate brownie ends became the ingredients for a lesson on not wasting food and using leftovers to make Christmas desserts at the Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West recently. Nina Hospitality Group, which owns five hotels in Hong Kong, including the one in Tsuen Wan, hosted the workshop for 11 youngsters from Rhenish Church Grace School, which educates children with moderate intellectual disabilities. It is part of the company’s seven-year... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3203991/hotel-chain-gives-hong-kong-teens-disabilities-tasty-lesson-not-wasting-food-and-using-leftovers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3203991/hotel-chain-gives-hong-kong-teens-disabilities-tasty-lesson-not-wasting-food-and-using-leftovers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Dec 2022 02:00:17 +0000