Report from Social Service Committee (2002 – 2004)
Co-Chairmen: Margaret Chan, Nancy Chan, Kathy Tam (2003-2004)
Betty Fu, Jackie Ma, Kathy Tam (2002-2003)
As a service organisation, we pledge to serve the community by sponsoring worthwhile social service projects. Where appropriate, Zontians also take part in organizing the project and involve members of our Z Clubs. In the last biennium, we have supported the following projects:
Concert for the Young at Heart
Jointly organised with the HK Federation of Women Lawyers, a music and dance competition for the elderly in the Eastern District was held on 5 October 2002 with some participating groups coming from other districts. Apart from awards to winners, all participants were each given a packet of souvenirs including some food items.
Safety Alarm System for the Elderly
We donated $250,000 to the HK Senior Citizens Association for installing safety alarm systems in the homes of 100 elderly people. Once activated, the system will enable them to call a 24-hour hotline service center for help in case of need. As part of the project, Zontians visited some senior citizens’ homes in Kwun Tong to distribute blankets and jackets.
2002 Green Walk
To help launch a Waste Separation Scheme in all kindergartens and day nurseries in Hong Kong, we organized a Green Walk on 15 December 2002 to raise funds and donated $150,000 for the scheme.
Day Camp – Friendship and Harmony
In collaboration with the Hong Kong Adventure Corps, we organized a Day Camp at the High Island Training Camp on 9 March 2003 for a group of newly arrived children and Nepalese children. The objective was to promote a healthy life style and to cultivate a sense of friendship and harmony among the participants. The Day Camp was thoroughly enjoyed by the children, their families, participating Zontians and members of our Z Clubs.
Scholarships
With an annual grant of $20,000 towards the Zonta NT Bursary Award, we continued to support four women students studying at the Open University.
We commenced a new scholarship scheme in 2002 sponsoring 3 members of the Hong Kong Adventure Corps who enrolled in local universities. On completion of the degree, the members are encouraged to serve as trainers in the Corps to train up new cadets. Zonta NT donated the sum of HK$10,000 per year towards this scheme.
Skek Kip Mei Lutheran Centre for the Blind, 35th Anniversary Ceremony
Our club has worked with and supported the centre since 1987. Zonta NT members attended the Centre’s 35th anniversary ceremony on 18 Oct 2003 to share the happy occasion with them. Our President Mrs. Winnie Wong presented the Centre with a cheque for HK$40,000 to help upgrade the equipment and facilities of the Centre.
NTWC Community Health Promotion Programme (Healthy School Project)
To increase the knowledge of students and the community in both physical and psycho-social health concepts and to better prepare them to face infectious diseases in the future, NTWC hospitals and the Centre of Health Education and Health Promotion of CUHK jointly organised the Healthy School Project. In this connection, a kick off ceremony cum half-day seminar was held on 27 September 2003 at Tuen Mun Hospital, attended by teachers, students and their parents in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai districts.
Zonta NT donated the sum of HK$10,000 in support of this project.
St. James’ Settlement
Twenty-four elderly, recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, were delighted to have electric water heaters installed in their homes., thus obviating the need to boil water for their baths and minimizing the chance of catching cold, especially in the winter season. We donated these 24 heaters through St. James’ Settlement at a total cost of HK$36,480.
Sunbeam Children’s Foundation Ltd.
The plight of Yu-hua touched our hearts. She is a 6 year-old child from Guangdong suffering from Leukemia and was receiving treatment at the Zhong Shan University Hospital No. 1, Guangzhou. We donated HK$10,000 to this life-saving project. Her condition has improved since receiving various medical treatments.
Evangel Children’s Home
Members of Zonta NT visited the Home on 18 December 2003 to join their Christmas Party and on 27 March 2004 to meet with children who were boarders at this Home. We were pleased that the Home provided a warm and happy family environment for these socially disadvantaged children, some with traumatic family experiences. Despite their background, these cheerful children confidently displayed their talents in music, art, poetry and cooking during our visit.
We donated a sum of $3,000 to sponsor Christmas gifts for the children.
We also contributed a sum of HK$38,400 in aid of the Home’s “Train the Trainers” project.
Mother’s Day Concert
We co-sponsored 200 tickets of a Mother’s Day Concert, organized by “香港中國民族聲樂學會”, for single-parent mothers, newly arrived families and members of the blind center. All of them enjoyed a memorable evening of love and joy.
HKU Family Institute (HKUFI)
HKUFI is a community based, trans-disciplinary training, research and service centre dedicated to family oriented clinical practice in Hong Kong. The institution has a reputation for treatment of complex school cases using a family oriented approach.
We donated HK$50,000 to this institute for a project called “A Training Package for School Systems to Help Children with Behavioral and Emotional Problems”. This project, targeting teaching professionals, consists of a half-day seminar and is aimed at in students’ healthy growth and development. In addition, there is a four-hour workshop to demonstrate live cases in order to enhance participants’ understanding of the impact of family life on students, thus enabling the participants to detect early family problems that affect students’ performance and behavior. It is expected that over 500 teaching professionals will benefit from this project.
Sowers Action （苗圃行動 )
Sowers Action is a charitable organisation in Hong Kong aiming at helping children in poverty-stricken remote part of China who cannot afford to go to school. Through Sowers Action, Zonta NT co-sponsored with 中國青少年發展基金會 to provide total funding of RMB297,000 towards the construction of a primary school in貴州省施秉縣牛大場鎮石橋村. Our share amounted to RMB200,000. The school will be named’清石新界崇德社助學長征苗圃希望小學’.
A cheque presentation ceremony was held on 21 May 2004 at the Zonta NT Installation Ceremony.
