Sean's Sharing - Turning Slumdogs into Millionaire

The reason of organizing this project is tracing back to the summer of 2007, when I joined a Service Learning Program called Project SEE held by General Education Unit, HKU. I was sent to Kolkata, India to work with a local NGO named FOCUS (Forum of Community United in Service) in the theme of Child Rights. Although it was not my first volunteer service trip, India culture definitely had great impact on me. We didn't do much in that trip (only teaching and home visits), however, I don't want the service to be just one-off-deal, and I really see the needs of those children and women striving for education.

Last year I went back to Kolkata and discuss with my friends working in FOCUS on how we could do something that actually benefit those poor family living in slum areas. Then finally we set up a Child Education Sponsorship Program to support educational expenses for 50 children. We found out that it only costs HK$ 300-400 for one year education fees including uniforms, books and stationery. If Hong Kong people can save money from buying 2 sets of clothes or eating out twice a week, we can definitely sponsor more kids to go to school! Before I left Kolkata, we also discussed about the situation of unemployment, and not surprisingly found out it is difficult for high school graduates to find a job. Therefore, we got to consider other ways to assist them.

When I came back to Hong Kong, Charlotte Wong and me founded an organization (not registered yet) called Impact For Peace. We would like to achieve two main goals: Universal Education and Sustainable living Standard Improvement in Third World Countries. We strongly believe when people are willing to share what they have with people who are in need, and create an impact to the friends around, world peace is not too far to reach. Although we can't deal with all the political reasons, we only want to show Love and Care, and that is the most important in mankind.

This Summer Impact For Peace recruited 10 HKU students to continue our work in Kolkata. This time we are focusing on deliver Vocational Skills to women and high school graduates, in order to let them acquire some skills like leather work making and computer utilization etc. This project is sustainable since after HKU students left, those women and graduates are still making the leather bags. We are now planning to set up a fair-trading line so that the money earned from selling their products (in Hong Kong or elsewhere) can be put back into bonus rewarded to the maker, and buying raw materials. We hope you can support our project by buying one leather bag, there are limited stocks in CEDARS office! Come and grab one!!

Next year we would like to organize a similar project in India, if you think you have special talents and you want to share your skills to Indian women and students, please contact us at: impact.for.peace@gmail.com

Chloe's Sharing - Turning Slumdogs into Millionaires

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. This is what brings me to India for a 6 weeks service trip.

We all know that there are billions of people living under poverty line but we seldom have the initiative do something for the needy. After watching the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” a few years ago, the pictures of Indian poor’s living conditions stayed in my mind.

In this summer, finally I have got a chance to been to India to explore the situation. Kolkata is famous for Mother Teresa and her Centers while at the same time notorious for its poverty. Besides the poor living condition in the slum area, high unemployment rate is also an issue that's worth concerning. Our programme aims at eradicating poverty by transferring vocation skills to dropout students and uneducated women. Comparing to direct resources distribution, we are hoping that by equipping them with vocational skill, they would be able to improve the standard of living in a long-term and sustainable manner.

Though most of the women in our centre have not been to school, they still have a strong desire to learn in the Women Centre. I was deeply impressed by their attitude and character when I saw how hard they try to absorb new knowledge. It is my honor to have the chance to be their teacher for six weeks.

Another focus of our work is conducting community research in the slum areas and squatter areas. You can never imagine how the environment looks like without stepping into their neighborhood. Without much attention from the general public and the society, there is a vicious cycle of poverty inherented from generations to generations. It is difficult for the children in slum areas to have the chance to leave where they were brought up. I hope the research can address their needs and therefore more helping hands can be given to them.

This service trip is undoubtedly fruitful and rewarding. Though the Indian children and women are not having an abundant life, they are still optimistic and passionate than most of the Hong Kong people. Sometimes I have an impression that we were not going there to teach, but to learn instead. It is such a life-changing experience and I highly recommend HKU students to participate in a local or oversea service trip during the university life.

By:

Chloe Tsang

Faculty of Social Sciences

Major: Government & Laws

Eileen's Sharing - Turning Slumdogs into Millionaire

I'm an ordinary university student who has experienced an unordinary summer in Kolkata India!

This summer, the ten of us from different facilities and with different backgrounds come together and fight for the same goal: to improve the livelihood of the slum people in Kolkata. In the pre-trip session, we tried to apply our knowledge in this program and we learned to stand in the needy's shoes before giving our helping hand.

During the trip, we taught the slum children English and equipped the women with leather work making skills. As what you can imagine, things didn't go on smoothly and we got to change and modify our plan with referring to the limitation in an unfamiliar environment. We learned to communicate with overcoming the language barrier and listen with our heart. You'll definitely understand what the slum people truly need when you do this.

In the post-trip session, we are now arranging for the fair-trade line which helps the slum women to sell there leather work products. What's more, we planned to set up a few stationary donation centers in the school campus in order to collect the unnecessary stationaries from our schoolmates and send them to the slum children in Kolkata.

See what you should, do what you could! You will live a brighter love when you give more.

By:

Eileen Lee

Faculty of Medicine

Major: Chinese Medicine