Unlike previous Impact Jams, this session was structured as a pitch and feedback forum. During the event, the social impact organizations presented their pitches for a current project or fundraising idea, while volunteers from PayPal served as a panel of advisors offering insights and feedback. 

Meet The Social Impact Organizations

The social impact organizations that attended the business clinic were:

Future Education Centre (FEC): FEC partners with educators worldwide to empower individuals to realize their potential through experiential learning opportunities such as immersive study tours, internships, hackathons, and hands-on skill trainings.

Sacred Space Therapy and Wellbeing: An organization committed to addressing the mental health epidemic in Hong Kong and beyond. Sacred Space provides a tranquil space for healing and self-discovery through alternative therapies such as Music and Forest therapy.

Upeeling: A sustainability startup that addresses food waste and promotes healthy snacks by transforming imperfect fruit into healthy upcycled snacks with no additives. Through this innovative approach, Upeeling aims to fight against daily food waste in Hong Kong while advocating for healthier snacking.

Impact Business Founders Delivering Elevator Pitches

Delivering the first elevator pitch was Kaylini Naidoo, Founder of Upeeling, who introduced the startup’s upcycled snacks, aiming to raise awareness for the startup and find partners for pilot programs. 

Next, Jerome Bautista, Co-founder of Sacred Space Therapy and Wellbeing, shared details about the impact business’ previous collaborations, including organizing workshops and retreats for companies. 

Finally, Fenix Lam, General Manager and Chief Program Coordinator of Future Education Centre, closed the session with a pitch focused on securing funding and interviewing employers to better understand what circumstances would lead them to consider hiring secondary school dropouts. 

PayPal Volunters Uplifting Social Impact Leaders and Entrepreneurs with Invaluable Feedback

After the pitches, PayPal volunteers gave feedback to the social impact organization representatives, highlighting their strengths along with areas for improvement. 

For example, they suggested Upeeling to address food safety, clarifying if the product is vegan, and sharing their vision for expanding to more fruits. 

For Sacred Space, PayPal’s advisory panel recommended providing greater detail about the therapies offered, such as duration, location, and skill level, to give the audience a clearer understanding. 

To Future Education Centre, PayPal volunteers suggested refining the terminology used. Instead of saying “interviews with employers”, PayPal volunteers suggested using market research or focus groups and narrowing the pitch to a single audience.

Throughout the session, it was evident that the social impact leaders and entrepreneurs were truly passionate about their organizations’ missions and objectives, while the volunteers were fully engaged in leveraging their respective expertise to provide meaningful suggestions from diverse perspectives. 

FSI Impact Jam: A Win-Win for Corporate and Social Impact Sectors

Once the Pitch and Feedback section was complete, the PayPal volunteers were paired with a social impact leader/entrepreneur to review their pitch decks and provide more tailored feedback. 

This breakout session was incredibly helpful for the social impact leaders and entrepreneurs, as they were able to receive specific feedback from the volunteers who had taken the time to understand their organizations’ capacity and limitations. 

Kaylini Naidoo, Founder of Upeeling, shared that “The verbal pitch and the pitch deck evaluation were incredibly helpful for me. I think the structure of the session was good, and it was nice to have group breakout discussions.”

The social impact organizations weren’t the only ones who benefited from the Impact Jam, but so did the PayPal volunteers. This experience gave them a sense of accomplishment, knowing that the ideas and suggestions they contributed offered perspectives for the social impact organizations. 

Said Bill Lau, Technical Account Manager at PayPal Hong Kong: “I enjoyed listening to distinct social enterprises sharing visions that I never imagined, from recycled food snack business, to forest and music therapy, to field trips and career program for high school dropouts. These are all initiatives I want to support and be part of!”

The sentiment was echoed by another PayPal volunteer, who shared: “It’s my pleasure to know three entrepreneurs from different industries. Listening to three pitches from different industries is inspiring.”

We would like to extend our gratitude to PayPal and the social impact organizations for being part of this event. We hope this marks the beginning of a long-term partnership. 

We would also like to thank SpiceBox Organics for providing catering support with environmentally friendly, delicious, and healthy food, such as the mini quiche lorraines, oat crunch goji berry cookies, and keto chocolate ganache. 

As this Impact Jam has shown, cross-sector collaboration is an effective way to build mutually beneficial relationships while creating greater social impact. If you would like to engage and develop your employees while achieving ESG or sustainability goals through meaningful Impact Jams, get in touch with us at communityconnections@shared-impact.com.

The post FSI x PayPal: Pitch Lab for Social Impact Organizations in Hong Kong appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

The 2026 Spring cohort of Impact Lab students gathered on the 23rd of March for a second seminar focused on one of the most challenging yet overlooked aspects of entrepreneurship: failure and risk management.

Contrary to societal norms where success is emphasized and setbacks are hidden or even discouraged, the seminar started by encouraging students to rethink a mindset that’s commonly captured in the Chinese proverb:

“Hide the bad; glorify the good.”

Instead, students were encouraged to confront failure openly, to understand it, learn from it, and ultimately use it as a tool for growth.

Understanding Why Startups Fail

The session began with an interactive Mentimeter exercise, asking participants a simple yet important question: Why do most startups fail?

Many responses pointed to familiar challenges such as flawed business models or running out of capital. While these answers reflected common perceptions and real-life cases, the discussion was deepened by comparing them with other insights. 

Five key reasons emerged:

Running out of cash or failing to raise capital still remains one of the leading causes of failure, with many entrepreneurs struggling to secure funding or communicate their value to investors. 

Closely related is the issue of no market need, which accounts for a significant proportion of startup failures. Even well-developed ideas can fail if they do not address real demands. 

Startups also often face the risk of being outcompeted, particularly in crowded markets where differentiation is limited and competitive advantages are difficult to sustain. 

A flawed business model – such as relying on a single revenue stream or failing to scale effectively – can further undermine its long-term viability. Finally, regulatory and legal challenges, including unexpected policy changes or broader geopolitical factors such as trade tensions, can create external pressures that are difficult for early-stage ventures to navigate.

The Hong Kong Context

The conversation then shifted to the realities of building a startup in Hong Kong.

Participants identified several structural challenges, including the high operating costs, limited access to funding, and legal and administrative complexities that can slow down or even restrict growth. At the same time, many entrepreneurs are often conditioned to think in small, incremental ways rather than developing broader solutions that can grow sustainably over time. 

Recognizing these constraints is a critical step in understanding risk and also in designing businesses that can adapt to them. Under the instructions of David Bishop, Impact Lab Instructor and Co-founder of Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) as well as multiple social impact businesses, students were told to think outside the box.

Learning Through Case Studies

To bring these ideas into practice, David introduced a series of case studies, allowing students to analyze real and hypothetical ventures and identify why they failed.

One case explored a sustainability initiative centred around a revolving green loan fund, designed to support long-term environmental projects. Despite its compelling vision, the initiative faced challenges, including insufficient fundraising, bureaucratic barriers, and limited institutional support. The discussion highlighted how even impactful ideas can struggle without the right financial and structural foundations. 

Another case focused on a venture that failed due to ease of replication and governance challenges. Without a clear competitive advantage, the business was quickly outcompeted. This example showed the importance of building not only innovative solutions but also defensible and well-managed organizations, said David

Through these discussions, students were encouraged to form groups and think critically. Students had a few minutes to get into their groups and think – not just about what went wrong but also about what could have been done differently.

Failing Forward: Managing Feedback and Growth

Beyond analyzing failure, the session focused on how entrepreneurs can respond to challenges in a constructive way. One of the main points was managing negative feedback, which is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurial journey. Rather than reacting defensively, students were introduced to a practical approach:

Staying calm and listening actively, seeking clarification when needed, and taking time to reflect before responding. By focusing on understanding rather than reacting, feedback becomes a valuable source of insight rather than a barrier.

Participants were encouraged to view feedback not as criticism but as an opportunity to strengthen their strategies and improve their decision-making.

A central takeaway from the session was that failure is not something to avoid, but something to understand. By examining why startups fail, whether it is due to market misalignment, financial challenges, or external reasons, entrepreneurs can better anticipate risks and make more informed decisions.

More importantly, failure can build the resilience needed to navigate uncertainty.

In entrepreneurship, success is usually non-linear but built through experimentation, setbacks, and continuous learning.

By creating a space where failure can be discussed openly and constructively, the Impact Lab seminar empowers students who might want to enter the entrepreneurial world to move forward with greater confidence, not despite challenges, but because of what they learn from them.

Stay Tuned

Through our Impact Lab Course, we support students to develop themselves and enhance essential human skills through experiential learning internships with impact startups as well as informative seminars. Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming seminar on systems change. 

This blog post was drafted by Sofia Becerra Liang, Communications and Marketing intern at the Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) during the Spring 2026 semester of the Impact Lab Course.

The post Impact Lab: Helping Youth Learn from Failure and Building Resilient Entrepreneurs appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

To kick off the seminar, participants received a friendly reminder from Shitong Wu, FSI’s Youth Empowerment Intern, to take action for the planet by recycling their trash. Students were given refreshments and encouraged to place their used items into the recycling bins — a fitting start to a session centered on mindful innovation and sustainability.

Unlocking the Creative Mind 

The session’s facilitator, Professor David Bishop, Co-founder and Director of Foundation for Shared Impact and Impact Lab Course Instructor, began by sharing how he moved from a structured legal career in the US and Hong Kong into teaching at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), where he said he could finally let ideas “flow like crazy”. His colleagues even joke that the phrase they worry about most is when he says, “I have an idea.”

This moment set the tone for the day’s key message: be open to ideas, and always record them the moment they come. The brain is like a muscle: it grows stronger the more creatively you exercise it.

The Four Stages of Design Thinking  

David then walked students through the four stages of design thinking — Clarify, Ideate, Develop, and Implement — highlighting that innovation is rarely a straight line, but an ongoing process of exploration, failure, and refinement. 

In the Clarify stage, he stressed the importance of fully understanding the problem before jumping to solutions, reminding everyone to “think inside before outside the box” and to see failure as a natural part of the creative journey.

Moving into Ideate, participants were encouraged to generate as many ideas as possible without self-censorship. Echoing a familiar Cantonese saying, 好記性不如爛筆頭 — a good memory is not as reliable as a bad pen — he urged students to write everything down and capture every thought. 

The Develop stage subsequently focuses on combining, testing, and refining those raw ideas into more practical, workable solutions. 

Finally, in the Implement stage, David emphasized that execution should always be accompanied by reflection, asking repeatedly, “Are we solving the right problem?” so that teams remain open to revisiting earlier stages when needed.

Sustainability: Rethinking Systems and Mindsets

Next, students broke into groups to tackle a thought-provoking challenge: “How can we get Hong Kong citizens to lead a more sustainable life?” This brainstorming session illuminated a range of innovative proposals. Teams had to mind-map solutions in just five minutes, but many quickly realized the hardest part was defining the problem itself.  

For instance, when one group identified “people are lazy to recycle” or “lack of awareness” as the main issue, David encouraged them to dig deeper. Eventually, teams reframed the central issue as solid waste— whether from fast fashion or overpackaged food. One group proposed vending machines for vegan meals that reward users for returning packaging, but David reminded the class that sustainability isn’t only about the environment — it’s about rethinking systems and mindsets on a larger scale.  

Ethics, AI, and Purpose  

The seminar closed with an insightful presentation from Diego Eugenio Uribe Rodríguez, an Impact Lab student, who introduced Ethics Lab, an ongoing project and digital platform designed by David and a few Impact Lab students, to help users understand their values and lead more purposeful lives. The presentation illustrated how technology, ethics, and empathy can come together to create genuine social good within everyday decision‑making.

David ended the session with a reminder: “Don’t be afraid to do crazy things. Go wild. That’s when your brain truly opens up.” His words encapsulated the spirit of the seminar: creativity isn’t confined to design; it’s a mindset, a willingness to fail, learn, and try again with greater clarity.  

Stay Tuned

Through our Impact Lab Course, we support students to develop themselves and enhance essential human skills through experiential learning internships with impact startups as well as thematic seminars. Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming seminars on “Learning from Failure: Mastering Risk Management” and “Systems Change”. 

This blog post was drafted by Cheung Hoi Ching Karina, Communications and Marketing intern at the Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) during the Spring 2026 semester of the Impact Lab Course.

The post Impact Lab Cultivating a Sustainability Mindset in Youth Through Design Thinking appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

With the population of ethnically diverse youth increasing significantly by 37% from 2011 to 2021, and Hong Kong facing an impending talent shortage of 180,000 workers by 2028, it is no longer just a moral obligation but an economic and social imperative to nurture this invaluable pool of homegrown talents. 

Realizing that equitable access to resources, knowledge, information, and networks is key to unlocking the potential of Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse youths, we inaugurated our Community Business Internship (CBI) Program in 2023 to empower ethnically diverse youth, aged 16-24 years, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, to become future leaders and business consultants. 

The beauty and sustainability of this program lie in its mutually beneficial nature: while under-resourced youths gain equitable access to hands-on training in entrepreneurship, skills building, and career development, they are also providing valuable business consultations and solutions to grassroots and socially impactful businesses in Hong Kong.

With the dedicated support of Linklaters Asia for the second year, we launched the 2025 CBI Program from October to December for five ethnically diverse youths. To enhance the effectiveness of the engagements between the youth and the business owners/entrepreneurs, we matched them based on an alignment of skill-sets and business challenges, so that youths skilled in marketing and storytelling could support business owners looking to increase their business’ visibility and reach, for example.  

Meet the 2025 October-December Cohort of CBI Interns

Each representing a unique cultural background, the five CBI interns brought with them respective skills and multidisciplinary knowledge, ranging from Social Policy and Social Governance to English Literature, Business Management, and Sociology, to support under-resourced grassroots businesses through community-led entrepreneurship. 

Before reading about the youths’ internship experience and the impact they created, meet them here:

1. Richelle Gabucan

• Ethnicity: Filipino
• Education: Currently studying English Literature at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU).
• Self-intro: An “open book” and passionate about social impact. She brought strong technical skills in photography, videography, and Canva to the team. With a prior background in creating zines, she specialized in storytelling and leadership, often taking the lead in group presentations.

2. Rafida Naqiyatur Rahmah

• Ethnicity: Indonesian
• Education: Currently a Year 2 student at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), majoring in Social Policy and Social Governance.
• Self-intro: Originally motivated by “top-down” social change, she sought to explore “bottom-up” community impact. She is highly proficient in organizational tools like Notion and has a keen interest in urban planning and graphic design.

3. Imama Dawood

• Ethnicity: Pakistani
• Education: Recently graduated from Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College (HKDSE); currently a Year 1 student at The University of Hong Kong.
• Self-intro: Having arrived in Hong Kong in 2018, she has a deep understanding of the Yau Tsim Mong community. She is skilled in content creation via CapCut and Canva. Though she describes herself as appearing introverted, she is highly communicative and extroverted in professional outreach settings.

4. Angeela Gurung

• Ethnicity: Nepali
• Education: Currently a Year 2 student pursuing a degree in Business Management.
• Self-intro: A polyglot who speaks six languages. She has a strong creative background in music, painting, and design, which she applied to her branding projects for grassroots shops.

5. Gurneev Maria Singh

• Ethnicity: Indian (Punjabi)
• Education: Currently a Year 1 student at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), planning to major in Psychology and Sociology.
• Self-into: Gurneev is fluent in six languages. His background in social sciences makes him particularly interested in human interaction and the sociological challenges faced by marginalized entrepreneurs in Hong Kong.

CBI Program: Where Disadvantaged Youth Build Confidence, Clarify Career Pathways, and Create Social Impact through Small Business Support

Describing themselves as beginners in their professional journeys in communications, marketing, research, and project coordination, the five CBI interns were selected amongst dozens of applicants for their unequivocal desire to support Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse small businesses as well as their interest in learning more about creating positive social impact. 

It was also through the CBI Program that the interns hoped to clarify their career direction and pathways, and hone their respective skills and become workplace-ready through the support and deliverables they were going to provide to under-resourced entrepreneurs. 

Our CBI Program, now in its fifth iteration, is designed precisely to respond to common challenges facing Hong Kong’s disadvantaged youth and empower them to resolve those challenges through experiential learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and building self-awareness. 

Throughout the two-month internship, we led multiple GuideFong Tours and community outreach sessions to connect the interns with ethnically diverse entrepreneurs who run micro and small businesses in Hong Kong. The interns were tasked with identifying lesser-known ethnically diverse-owned businesses in target districts, building trust and collecting stories through in-person interviews with the business owners, and co-designing practical marketing and branding solutions with the business owners.

Across the cohort, the interns worked individually and collaborated as a team to contribute dozens of hours of work toward: 

• 35+ new ethnically diverse-owned businesses listed on FSI’s GuideFong Directory; 
• Five “Meet the Entrepreneur” stories published on GuideFong’s website;
• Multiple newly designed or refreshed menus, logos, banners, and business cards; and
• Tailored marketing strategies, Google profile optimization, and other “light consulting” outputs.

A Mutually Beneficial Program Empowering Youth and Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs

The 2025 October-December CBI Program’s success was encapsulated in the interns’ ratings: 9 out of 10 stars for career relevance, 8 stars for skill gains, and 10 stars for gaining an in-depth understanding of the challenges facing ethnically diverse business owners, such as digital invisibility, language barriers, high rental fees, market saturation and domination by local franchises. 

“I observed two main challenges facing ethnically diverse entrepreneurs: a lack of foundational support and a reliance on informal labor,” said Richelle Gabucan. “Many owners exit their businesses prematurely because they lack the resources to navigate failures. Additionally, relying on family members for technical tasks like menu and logo design often leads to bottlenecks, as these ‘helpers’ have other commitments.”

Notably, the interns said the program enabled them to gain and hone their skills in stakeholder communication, adaptability, cultural competence, graphic design, and copywriting. 

Said Richelle Gabucan: “The most significant takeaway from my internship was the necessity of adaptability. While I began with an ambitious plan, I learned that external variables can shift outcomes despite my best efforts. This experience taught me to pivot gracefully, seek help when needed, and maintain productivity independently even when leadership was occupied. Ultimately, it deepened my connection to my community and strengthened my ability to communicate through professional uncertainty.”

Rating the CBI Program a 10 out of 10 for the autonomy it gives them, the interns felt an immense sense of accomplishment from the business projects and solutions that they took ownership of, collectively adding 35+ new business listings to the GuideFong Directory, curating five comprehensive branding kits, five narrative case studies, and a series of targeted social media reels.

Said Imama Dawood: “Seeing firsthand how practical, tangible support like a well-designed menu can immediately boost a small business owner’s confidence and professionalism was incredibly rewarding.” 

The sentiment is echoed by Rafida Naqiyatur Rahmah: “My objective was to bridge the gap between social policy theory and grassroots reality. In addition to adding seven business listings to the GuideFong Directory and producing a series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ case stories and reels, I also focused on storytelling to help business owners combat the ‘saturation’ of the market and stand out through their personal histories. Through this, I provided these entrepreneurs with a digital platform they previously lacked the time or technical expertise to manage.”

In addition to gaining sharpened professional aspirations, the interns also expressed a stronger commitment to supporting under-resourced entrepreneurs and building a more inclusive Hong Kong business community. In particular, they described feeling more confident in client communication, stakeholder management, and independent project work, and they reported a stronger sense of agency in driving positive change. 

“Coming from a social policy and governance background, I used to think that change only happens from top down,” said Rafida Naqiyatur Rahmah. “This internship proved me wrong. My takeaway is that community-level support is the most direct way to foster social inclusion.”

Said Angeela Gurung: “My work had a meaningful impact by equipping two local businesses, Maiti Ghar and Hamro Fancy, with effective marketing strategies and professional branding. I shared insights on digital audience engagement, crafted targeted approaches for the owners, and designed logos, banners, and business cards, which I  believe have helped them to establish a stronger online presence and professional identity, enhancing visibility and customer appeal.”

Expressing utmost satisfaction about the CBI Program, all interns agree that they would recommend the program to their peers as a highly valuable youth development experience.

“This internship is perfect for someone who wants to get out of the office, connect directly with the community, and see the very concrete results of their work,” said Imama Dawood. “You gain real skills in communication, content creation, and design while making a visible difference for local businesses.”

“I would highly recommend this internship, particularly for students or those early in their careers,” said Richelle Gabucan. “The freedom to choose from a diverse range of projects allows interns to customize the experience to their interests, helping to build a versatile skill set while making a meaningful impact on the community.”

The impact we create to empower disadvantaged youth would not have been possible without the dedicated support of funders and skilled volunteers. If you would like to support our youth empowerment initiatives by engaging your employees or leveraging your professional skills and expertise, get in touch with us at info@shared-impact.com! 

The post FSI x Linklaters: Equipping HK Youth with Work Readiness, Intercultural Competence, and Essential Human Skills appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

Believed to be the month when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, Ramadan is a sacred time observed by daytime fasting between the meal just before dawn (known as the suhoor) and another directly after sunset (known as the iftar). 

In addition to the five daily prayers, Muslims also recite a special prayer called the Tarawih prayer (night prayer) during Ramadan. In this month of fasting, worship, service, communal gathering, spiritual development, and redemption, Muslims practise self-discipline and gratitude and develop empathy and compassion for the less fortunate.

As one of our various attempts to enhance intercultural exchange and social inclusion, on 27 February, Adnan “Dani” Riaz, FSI’s Community Business Support Program Assistant, led a GuideFong Tour themed on the holy month for PayPal, our long-time corporate partner who generously sponsored our “Know Your GuideFong: TST” event in July 2025. 

Organized with the support of PayPal’s Community Impact Grant, the immersive tour offered PayPal employees an opportunity to take a deep dive into Ramadan traditions within Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse communities while supporting local entrepreneurs in Sham Shui Po, one of the city’s most vibrant, culturally rich, and impoverished districts. 

Facilitated by Dani’s introduction, participants connected with grassroots entrepreneurs from ethnically diverse backgrounds, many fasting while keeping their businesses open for fellow Muslims during Ramadan. 

Through their engagement, PayPal employees gauged the entrepreneurs’ needs for payment solutions and successfully listed three businesses in the GuideFong Directory. In leveraging their respective expertise to provide pro bono support to under-resourced entrepreneurs on the spot, the PayPal team of professionals created a positive social impact by reinforcing community bonds and solidarity with the underrepresented individuals who play a vital role in the well-being of the Hong Kong economy and society – the practices and spirit honored by Muslims during the holy month.

Getting to Know Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs

Split into groups, PayPal employees were tasked with interviewing different ethnically diverse entrepreneurs who offer a sense of home and belonging to the community of migrant workers in Sham Shui Po. 

They met Ko Apin, founder and owner of Restoran Indonesia Pondok Kita, who started the hut-like space for fellow Indonesians to gather and share classic dishes typically served at restaurants in Bali and Java. “It’s been just over a year, and we’re thrilled to be a hidden gem for both locals and visitors,” said Apin. “We stay true to authenticity, and dishes like satay, nasi kuning special, and sate sapi lontong are affordably priced must-tries. For us at Restoran Indonesia Pondok Kita, it’s about bridging cultures in Hong Kong’s multicultural identity.”

“The economic situation in Hong Kong may be challenging, but I still love Hong Kong as my home city, as I can still make a living here,” said Yunni, co-partner of Safiq Shinka Restaurant, which has acquired a presence in Sham Shui Po for 16 years, more than half the time that Yunni has been living and working in Hong Kong. “We get a mix of customers, including Pakistanis and local Chinese. We initially started as a grocery store and evolved into a restaurant specializing in Halal food.” 

“It can be challenging for people from India or Pakistan to venture out and open shops here, as they may expose themselves unnecessarily,” said Zahid Aziz, owner of Local Dhaba, a Pakistani restaurant that takes inspiration from the Hindi word for “lunchbox” and the roadside restaurants dotting highways in India and Pakistan. “I love the close-knit community here and the connections between diverse people. After coming to Hong Kong from Dubai more than 10 years ago, I quit smoking, and I used that same determination to set up the business. By next month, the renovation on the ground floor should be completed. I put a lot of effort into running the business and making sure everything complies with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s regulations.” 

Gauging Small Business Challenges and Witnessing Community Resilience

Wrapping up the conversations with ethnically diverse entrepreneurs, participants reconvened for a tour of the lively streets bustling with small family-run shops, South Asian grocery stores, and Halal restaurants staying open during Ramadan. 

In the area with a high concentration of ethnically diverse entrepreneurs, participants saw cash-heavy operations, remittance needs, and digital adoption gaps. They also saw how the small businesses truly manifest the city’s multicultural identity and strengthen belonging and resilience, despite facing challenges in growth and expansion.

Concluding a Socially Impactful GuideFong Tour with Iftar

Slightly before sunset, Dani led tour participants back to Shafiq Shinka Restaurant for a guided iftar, the meal that breaks the fast after sunset during Ramadan.

Tucking into the communal meal with traditional Indonesian and Pakistani flavours, participants learned about the significance of iftar and the Ramadan tradition of sharing meals. PayPal employees also shared their experiences of the day, where they created a shared impact by strengthening rapport with under-resourced entrepreneurs and providing them with much-needed business support.

“The diversity and the superb dollar value of the services, commodities, and food provided by the community are truly fascinating,” said Bill Lau, Technical Account Manager at PayPal Hong Kong. “It’s eye-opening to venture deep into the neighborhood to meet the diverse ethnic groups in Hong Kong. It’s also touching to hear personal stories told by the business owners.”

“Really appreciate the event for also hosting my daughter,” said Serena Leung, a PayPal employee. “After the tour, she shared how much she enjoyed the trip, seeing diversity around her school district and understanding different cultures. She also spoke about the experience with our family members, transferring what she saw to how Hong Kong needs these small businesses.”

“One of my most memorable takeaways from the tour was learning about the Pakistani community in Hong Kong, and how their strong sense of togetherness drives both business and personal growth,” said one participant. “It was inspiring to see how they actively support one another—sharing resources, offering mentorship, and creating opportunities that help the whole community thrive. Their culture of mutual respect and collaboration truly highlights the power of community in building sustainable success.”

Added another participant: “It is an experience you would not get unless you take part in the GuideFong Tour. As Adnan brought us to visit different business stores with different cultural backgrounds, I got exposed to how the local community actually looks, which turned my unnecessary virtual fear into an actual supporting spirit.”

Work with Us to Build an Inclusive Community

We would like to thank PayPal for trusting us with the design and implementation of socially impactful opportunities to engage their employees. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to the Impact Lab interns working with FSI’s Community Business Support team to provide support during the tour. Lastly, the GuideFong Tour would not have been meaningful and socially impactful without the participation of the ethnically diverse entrepreneurs behind Restoran Indonesia Pondok Kita, Safiq Shinka Restaurant, Local Dhaba, Cemilan Khas Indonesia, and AK Barbers Hair Salon Ltd.

If you are interested in participating in our mutually beneficial corporate engagement activities, whether to kick-start your personal social impact journey, engage and develop your talents, or achieve your corporate ESG and CSR goals, get in touch with us at cbs@shared-impact.com to learn more!

The post FSI x PayPal: An Immersive GuideFong Tour in Celebration of Ramadan and Solidarity appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

The graduation event brought together 42 participants — mentees, mentors, coaches, community members, partners, and sponsors — alongside six Impact Lab interns and the FSI team. 

Together, participants reflected on the past months of collaboration, celebrating the progress made by the entrepreneurs who participated in the program and the mutually beneficial relationships that were formed throughout this process. 

A Six-Month Journey of Mutual Learning and Support

From September 2025 to March 2026, 11 mentee entrepreneurs worked closely with 10 mentors and 10 coaches to identify their businesses’ missions, market positioning, and growth strategies while developing heightened self-awareness as entrepreneurs, leaders, and human beings.

In its fourth iteration, our Mentorship Program for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs further contributes to the strength of the community. For instance, two mentors in this cohort were once mentees themselves, which is a testament to the reciprocal nature of the FSI community, and that the shared impact philosophy of generously sharing resources, information, and knowledge to drive systems change is not only feasible, but also an effective way to build strong communities. 

Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs Celebrating Success and Failures

The event kicked off with an acknowledgement of the cohort’s achievements and progress. Each mentee was invited to go on stage and share their reflections on their experiences in their program, offering honest insights into both the challenges and breakthroughs they encountered.

One of the most valuable aspects of the program, according to the mentees, is the sense of belonging that arises from becoming part of a supportive entrepreneurial community. As Kaylini Naidoo, Founder of Upeeling said, “Without the Mentorship Program, Upeeling would not be what it is today. I want to thank my mentor, who sat there with me and helped me develop the skills entrepreneurs need — making decisions, knowing when to ask for help, and understanding how much time to give to different decisions. Finding this community was also amazing because we were able to support each other and celebrate our wins together.” 

The sentiment was echoed by Latha Chandrakant, Director of Minmini Early Learning Solutions: “There are no words to express the feeling — it was shared impact through and through.”

Some mentees reflected on how the program pushed them beyond their comfort zone, which is “an essential step in the professional and personal development as an entrepreneur”, to quote Shamsa Bibi, an aspiring entrepreneur. 

Strengthening the FSI Ecosystem

Beyond celebrating the achievements of individual entrepreneurs, the event offered a chance for group reflection on the future of the FSI ecosystem.  

Participants were divided into mixed stakeholder groups — including mentors, partners, sponsors, and community members — to discuss how this FSI ecosystem could become even more resourceful, inclusive, and supportive for ethnically diverse entrepreneurs in Hong Kong.

From different feasible approaches to enhance teamwork, more efficient sharing of resources, to increasing opportunities for business owners facing structural limitations, the discussions again underscored the principles of FSI’s shared impact philosophy: broad cross-sector collaboration and a culture of radical candour enable a community to explore solutions to drive systems change. 

Concluding a Six-month Journey with Hopes Abound for the Future

The event concluded with a graduation ceremony, where mentees received their diplomas recognizing their commitment, perseverance, and growth over the past six months. What started out as individual entrepreneurs exploring concepts and possibilities in September 2025 had developed into a group of confident founders and aspiring entrepreneurs, equipped with the wisdom gained from trials and errors, to carve their next steps forward. 

At the networking event following the graduation ceremony, participants continued to discuss the Mentorship Program’s impact, exchanged perspectives, and took part in interviews conducted by FSI’s Impact Lab interns, reflecting on both the program’s impact and their personal growth. The room was filled with indescribable emotions: happiness, compassion, and gratitude. 

While the graduation ceremony marked the official end of the 2025-26 Mentorship Program, it also represented the beginning of the next chapter. 

The relationships formed within the cohort will continue to grow through FSI’s Entrepreneur’s Hub and future events. As shown by this year’s cohort — as well as the mentors who once stood in their shoes as mentees — shared impact multiplies when knowledge, information, and resources are passed forward. Through collaboration, trust, and a shared commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship, the FSI community will continue to build a more equitable business ecosystem in Hong Kong.

None of this would have been possible without the funding support of the Hong Kong Club Foundation and the Drs Richard Charles and Esther Yewpick Lee Charitable Foundation, whose trust in our expertise and capabilities in community building and effective program design enables us to empower under-resourced ethnically diverse entrepreneurs in Hong Kong.

We would like to thank our corporate partner, Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM), for allowing us to host the graduation ceremony and networking event at its office, in addition to its long-time support through the Virtual Legal Clinic, which has benefited numerous under-resourced entrepreneurs in the FSI community, including the mentee entrepreneurs of our Mentorship Program.

We would also like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated program partners, including ICF Hong Kong Chapter, the Hive Hong Kong, FundFluent, Africa Center Hong Kong, Foodie Explorerz, and our Impact Lab interns, whose unwavering support is crucial to the success of the program.

Get involved

As the cohort prepares to step onto the finale stage, one thing is evident: these entrepreneurs are no longer just aspiring entrepreneurs with ideas and concepts; they are confident communicators and community builders ready to make their next ask. If you would like to support our community of under-resourced ethnically diverse entrepreneurs, whether as a sponsor, subject matter expert, or skills-based volunteer, get in touch with us at cbs@shared-impact.com.

*This blog post was drafted by Sofia Becerra Liang, Communications and Marketing intern at the Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) during the Spring 2026 semester of the Impact Lab Course.

The post FSI 2025-26 Mentorship Program Concluding with a Celebration of Growth, Community, and Shared Impact appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

With the program finale slated for early March, the entrepreneur pitch workshop marked a meaningful point in the cohort’s journey – the mentees are no longer simply refining their business models; they are also preparing to present themselves, their ventures, and their vision to investors, partners, and communities. In many ways, this workshop was about stepping into leadership.

Curating a Perfect Pitch with Enhanced Clarity and Confidence

The session began with the question, What pitching opportunities do you have coming up? The answers ranged from funding conversations to partnership meetings. The discussion then switched to highlighting the importance and practicality of pitching, which is not reserved for investor panels only. Pitching, in its various forms, happens every day: in a networking conversation, a grant application, or a meeting with a potential collaborator; it even happens in informal situations such as a short introduction at a community event.

At its core, a pitch is not just storytelling but also a strategic act of communication made to shift the targeted audience or listener toward a specific stance.

Instead of asking mentee entrepreneurs to memorize scripts, the workshop introduced a practical and adaptable structure: the AREA framework. Mentee entrepreneurs were encouraged to think first about their Audience – who they are aiming to speak to and what matters to them. From there, they were guided to clarify Relevance – why this person should care; Evidence – why they should believe in the solution; and the Ask – what specific next step they are inviting the listener to take.

Through “before and after” examples, participants saw how small adjustments in clarity and confidence could transform a pitch. A vague introduction became a compelling proposition simply by aligning the message with the listener’s needs. You must ask: What is the market at that moment? What materials do you need to make it possible? Technology is cool, but it shouldn’t be the core; focus on your passion, and let technology be the tool that elevates it. Throughout the session, the emphasis stayed on the importance of alignment with needs over performance. A strong pitch is not that much about sounding impressive; it is about being intentional.

The workshop was filled with the presence of mentees, mentors, coaches, and volunteers from FSI’s partner network, including representatives from our corporate partners Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM) and PayPal. Their participation reinforced a powerful message: pitching is practical. It happens daily in boardrooms, law firms, corporate strategy discussions, and community organizations.

Guest speakers brought this reality to life. Rachel Fok, with experience at a local grant-giving foundation, reflected on how pitching is central to securing buy-in from NGO founders and stakeholders. Gordon Chan, a Community Impact Committee member at PayPal, highlighted that in the corporate world, selling an idea is not just about closing a transaction but about building long-term support and partnerships. Alan Lau, Responsible Business Lead at JSM, spoke about pitching both internally within a law firm and externally to community partners, showing how universal the skill truly is.

Importantly, “Pitch Perfect” was not structured as a competition. There were no judges and no rankings. Instead, the session was designed as a safe space for experimentation and growth. After reviewing the AREA framework, participants moved into small groups where volunteers provided constructive feedback. Mentees were then given time to develop a pitch tailored to a specific audience scenario.

All mentees presented their pitches to the full room, with feedback collected anonymously to ensure it remained supportive, allowing space for growth. Each presentation reflected months of both business and personal growth. Businesses that once existed only as ideas now displayed confidence and experience. One mentee shared that having a clear framework made pitching feel manageable rather than overwhelming, allowing for the preparation of a concise and effective pitch. Another mentee highlighted how valuable it was to receive feedback from industry professionals who could offer practical insight.

Beyond the mechanics of pitching, the session also displayed deeper transformations within the cohort. Mentors celebrated incremental progress, embraced setbacks as learning opportunities rather than something negative, and combined passion with research and practicality. As Jerwine Bonafe-Que, Managing Director of The Blomstre and a former-mentee-turned-mentor put it, “Learn to celebrate the grind itself, not just the final result. Sometimes, just voicing it and getting a fresh perspective made mountains shrink into molehills. So celebrate every step, ask the right questions, stay consistent, and never underestimate the power of talking things out.” 

And perhaps, that is the true art of pitching – not just convincing others, but also believing in your own ideas enough to want to share them boldly.

Get involved

As the cohort prepares to step onto the finale stage, one thing is evident: these entrepreneurs are no longer just aspiring entrepreneurs with ideas and concepts; they are confident communicators and community builders ready to make their next ask.

If you would like to support our community of under-resourced ethnically diverse entrepreneurs, whether as a sponsor, subject matter expert, or skills-based volunteer, get in touch with us at cbs@shared-impact.com. 

*This blog post was drafted by Sofia Becerra Liang, Communications and Marketing intern at the Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) during the Spring 2026 semester of the Impact Lab Course.

The post FSI Mentorship Program: Empowering Mentee Entrepreneurs to Communicate with Clarity and Confidence appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

These are the words of reflection from one of the five under-resourced Chinese youth we nurtured through the Community Business Youth Internship (CBYI) Program, a pilot youth empowerment program sponsored by the Peterson Foundation, which has long been committed to supporting the well-being and sustainable development of the community through philanthropy.

Empowering Under-resourced Chinese Youth with Cross-cultural Understanding and Readiness to Transition from School to Work

Central to the youth empowerment strategy at Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) is leveraging impact-based experiential learning to transform today’s youth into tomorrow’s social impact leaders and global citizens. 

Upon learning the Peterson Foundation intention to bridge the gap between education and employment for underprivileged Chinese youth, particularly those from Band 2 and Band 3 local schools, we curated the CBYI Program for five Chinese-speaking youth aged 15-18 in Hong Kong. Delivered from October to December 2025, the eight-week initiative was built upon the established success of empowering more than 1,480 youth through our other programs, such as the award-winning Impact Lab, Community Business Internship (CBI), and Summer Impact Fellowship (SIF).

Following several rounds of fruitful discussions with the Peterson Foundation, we identified the key objectives to guide our design and execution of the CBYI Program: 

• Essential Skills Building: Equip students with essential skills in project management, cross-cultural communication, problem-solving, creativity, leadership, teamwork, and work ethics to enhance their employability, as well as entrepreneurial skills and mindset to broaden their career pathway.
• Foster a Sense of Purpose: Expand students’ understanding of diverse cultures, career paths, and entrepreneurial opportunities, fostering a greater sense of purpose.
• Build Confidence and Personal Growth: Provide students with mentorship and support from experienced professionals to build confidence and facilitate personal growth.
• Cultivate Belonging and Intercultural Solidarity: Empower students to promote Hong Kong’s diverse small businesses and neighborhood shops within the Cantonese-speaking community, encouraging intercultural exchange, social inclusion, and a sense of belonging.

From Interviewing Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs in Jordan to Debating the Potential Harm of Social Media

Through a combination of practical experience, direct interactions with ethnically diverse communities, workshops focused on essential skills, and reflective discussions on social issues, students reported significant personal and professional growth. 

Said Kingsley Kwok Cheuk Yuen: “What I’m most proud of is interviewing ethnically diverse shop owners and debating with my peers on social issues. I have learned a great deal from these experiences about how to communicate with others, and how to express my views and ideas more efficiently and persuasively. It was an excellent opportunity to train my communication skills. When I was involved in these activities, I constantly faced different challenges, yet I kept overcoming these obstacles and rising to those challenges. I feel that I have really grown over these eight weeks.”

The hands-on nature of the program, intended and duly executed by Veleda Tam, FSI’s Youth Empowerment Program Manager, played a crucial role in enabling students to overcome personal challenges, develop crucial professional skills, and broaden their understanding of Hong Kong’s diverse communities, simultaneously fostering significant growth in areas such as critical thinking, teamwork, and cross-cultural communication. 

This is corroborated by Kingsley, who credited Veleda for her invaluable support in terms of inspiration and work guidance. “When we engaged in discussions, Veleda’s words prevented us from being rigid in our thinking. Moreover, when we made mistakes, she didn’t just correct them for us directly; instead, she showed us where and why we went wrong and taught us how to fix our mistakes.”

A Highly Rated Program Successfully Cultivating Personal and Professional Growth in Under-resourced Youth

Our pilot CBYI Program received overwhelmingly positive feedback and a high recommendation rate from the five participating students, who gave the Program five out of five stars for its work relevance and meaningfulness, as they found their work tasks highly valuable and aligned with their expectations of the program and personal and professional growth.

For example, the students described overcoming initial fears of public speaking (especially in English), collaborating with unfamiliar peers, and taking on leadership roles for the first time. The program’s structure, which exemplifies effective experiential learning through real-world tasks such as interviews, debates, and project management, was cited as instrumental in building these skills. 

The program also significantly enhanced the students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills (4.8 stars), and a positive attitude towards collaboration (4.6 stars). In support of the students’ high rating for these aspects of the program, Annie Tso On Ying said, “Discussions around social issues and interviewing ethnically diverse entrepreneurs in Hong Kong had the greatest impact on me. In addition to learning the skills of interviewing and writing up the interviews, I also learned about the ethnically diverse communities in Hong Kong. From discussing social issues with my peers, I learned to take others’ perspectives when gaining an in-depth understanding of an issue and exploring solutions, as well as to collaborate with others so that we can solve problems with collective actions.”

“Before CBYI, I didn’t believe in teamwork because, in my mind, it’s inefficient,” said Kingsley. “At my school, there are many group projects that I end up doing all by myself. But when I truly engaged in teamwork over these eight weeks, I realized that teammates can be important, and teamwork can indeed be highly efficient when everyone follows the plan and works hard in their role. In the future, I will rely more on my teammates and try to trust them instead of doing everything alone. I hope everyone gets a chance to contribute, because that’s the true spirit of teamwork.” 

Despite joining the program with relatively little understanding of social impact and entrepreneurial concepts, the students’ familiarity with these two areas has improved significantly by the end of the program. This owes a large part to the intentionally designed topical discussions around social issues, and the engagements with ethnically diverse interns from FSI’s Community Business Internship Program through the cross-cultural team-building workshop as well as the three community outreach sessions, where the students had the opportunity to visit and interview ethnically diverse owners of 15 small businesses in Hong Kong. 

Said Nico Lam Hin Yee: “I find the interviews with ethnically diverse entrepreneurs the most impactful, as they allowed me to reassess my perception of ethnically diverse communities. Not only did the entrepreneurs patiently listen to what we had to say, but they also allowed me to summon the courage to interview them. This experience has taught me to adopt a respectful approach when interacting with other people, and to refrain from holding prejudices against certain individuals just because I read something negative about them online. I can see that ethnically diverse individuals are striving to integrate into society. This highlights the importance of building a truly inclusive society – one that fosters the breaking down of stereotypes.” 

Work with Us to Normalize Equitable Access to Quality Education

With all five students indicating that they would recommend the CBYI Program to their peers, the pilot proved to be a great success for us at FSI in empowering under-resourced youth to confidently carve their paths ahead with their newly gained essential skills, knowledge of social impact and entrepreneurship, intercultural sensitivity, and a growth mindset. 

One of the unique aspects of the CBYI Program is its target beneficiaries: Band 2 and Band 3 Chinese-speaking secondary school students – students classified as weaker in academic performance under the Education Bureau’s Secondary School Places Allocation system. 

Unlike Band 1 students, Band 2 and 3 students – and the secondary schools they are admitted to – receive fewer resources from the government for learning and teaching support. Compounding the under–resourced youth’s barrier to success is the fact that they often come from low-income families, with close to half of all Band 3 secondary schools in Hong Kong located in the six poorest districts (i.e., Yuen Long, Kwun Tong, Kwai Tsing, Sham Shui Po, Wong Tai Sin, and Tuen Mun). 

However, our pilot program has evidenced that we can unleash the remarkable potential of under-resourced youth in Hong Kong by designing equity into access to extracurricular opportunities and real-world exposure. Our CBYI Program has demonstrated that, even in just a matter of eight weeks, participating youth made significant progress in essential workplace and human skills, such as English language proficiency, communication skills, professional conduct, cross-cultural understanding, project planning, and debate preparation.

The insights we gleaned from the impact analysis of the CBYI Program are in line with the School Banding and Creativity of Hong Kong Junior Secondary School Students study, involving 2,411 Chinese-speaking students aged 12-16, from Band 1, 2, and 3 secondary schools. With a focus on the relationship between school banding and students’ creativity, the study found that the school banding system led to the polarization of high- and low-ability students, although all students demonstrated a similar strength in their creative potential at the time they began secondary school at the age of 12. 

The truth is, under-resourced youth are no less capable of learning and growing than their peers from more advantageous backgrounds. Empowering youth to build the confidence and resilience crucial to navigating future challenges and opportunities means that we must meet them where they are and provide bespoke support accordingly. To quote Leanne Lan Jia Lu, one of the five CBYI students, “Even though some of the work tasks were challenging, completing the work tasks enabled me to enhance my capabilities. Our supervisor did not just focus on our work deliverables, but she genuinely cared about us and would cheer us on. This helped me realize that a workplace can also be a place where I get the support I need.” 

We would like to extend our gratitude to the Peterson Foundation for enabling us to design and execute this pilot program, the invaluable insights and learning we glean from which will inform and enhance our youth empowerment programming going forward. As we look forward to expanding the CBYI program and exploring similar opportunities to empower more students through diverse learning experiences, our focus will be on skills-building workshops and training, prioritizing the development of essential soft skills that equip students with the confidence and capabilities to excel in their academic and professional pursuits. If you are an educator or a funder interested in partnering with us to create an equitable, inclusive, and impactful education system for all, reach out to us at leontine@shared-impact.com!

The post FSI x Peterson Foundation: Empowering Under-resourced Chinese Youth with Creativity and Leadership Skills Through CBYI Program appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

Gathered here in the indoor baseball facility were 14 HSBC Scholars and Hub for the Future community members; Nivey Tsang, Co-founder and Business Development Director of Eldpathy; “Ken Sir”, a social worker and baseball coach at Eldpathy; three elderly volunteer baseball players; and, from the FSI team, Toni Leung, Program Manager, and Mandy Yeung, Program Officer of the HSBC Scholarship Scheme. 

Incorporated as a social enterprise in 2013, Eldpathy was founded on the belief that strong intergenerational power can be created by combining the experience and wisdom of the elderly and the passion and creativity of young people. The name, combining “elderly” and “empathy”, explains the social enterprise’s mission: to nurture the public’s empathy and understanding toward the mental and physical needs of the elderly, as a compassionate response to Hong Kong’s ageing population. 

Initially started by Nivey and his two schoolmates at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology as a physical simulation for Hong Kong youth to experience old age, the social enterprise has grown to offer corporate training workshops and education workshops to expand its mission since the project won the Championship and Best Presenter Awards at the Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge in 2012. 

Said Nivey: “Eldpathy is a social enterprise dedicated to promoting active ageing by bridging generational divides via innovative intergenerational programs. Our baseball workshops are a core part of this mission, fostering empathy and dismantling stereotypes through shared activity.” 

Intergenerational Interaction Through Baseball 

Forming a big circle with the three elderly volunteer baseball players, HSBC Scholars took turns to introduce themselves and share their thoughts on interacting with the over-60 amateur athletes.

All eyes then turned to “Ken Sir”, the baseball coach, who showed HSBC Scholars the correct way to pitch the baseball, with the support of the elderly baseball players.

Once the HSBC Scholars got the hang of pitching, they were split into two groups to learn about throwing and batting the baseball with Ken Sir and the elderly players. HSBC Scholars also took turns to hit the baseball dispatched from an automatic pitching machine, and each successful hit was celebrated by a round of applause from the crowd. 

When a Fun Baseball Game Offers a Glimpse of Active Ageing

The two-hour event not only introduced HSBC Scholars to the game of baseball, but also offered them a glimpse of what active ageing is and how it is being achieved by Hong Kong’s elderly. 

Said Hubert Ching Ho Wong, a recipient of the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship in 2023: “I am very happy to join this indoor baseball event today. It allows me to communicate with the elderly, and I can see that they are very dedicated and active in participating in this baseball event. This is a demonstration of the concept of active ageing. I have gained a lot from this event.”

Hubert’s sentiment is echoed by Mimi Wing Yan Wong, a recipient of the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship in 2024: “I feel very grateful for this event because I learned a lot from the elderly.

I realized that the elderly are really talented and they have a lot of skills to share with us.”

“The event today is a very meaningful opportunity to know the other HSBC Scholars and the elderly,” said Rooney Long Hin Chow, a recipient of the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship in 2021. “It was a very good opportunity to also play baseball with them and learn about their habits and lifestyle.”

“I learned how to actually play baseball, which is actually very impressive to me, because I am not an athletic person,” said Tasha Ka Yin Lam, a recipient of the HSBC Innovation and Technology Scholarship in 2025. “But with the elderly, fellow HUB members, and the trainers, we were able to experience at least part of the baseball game, which is very rewarding.”

HSBC Scholars weren’t the only ones who found the event rewarding. Nivey, the Co-founder of Eldpathy, and his team were duly inspired, too. “We were truly inspired by today’s session with the Hub for the Future members. Watching the young participants connect so genuinely with our senior players over baseball was powerful. Laughter and encouragement filled the field, transforming a simple game into a meaningful exchange of energy and stories. We look forward to seeing more inspired young HSBC Scholars taking a step toward building a more inclusive and age-friendly community for all with their skills and profession in the future.”

The post HSBC Scholars Building Empathy Towards the Elderly Through Intergenerational Baseball Game appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

As we slowly wind down towards the end of the year, we at Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) collaborated with the Land Education Foundation (LEF) to organize the “Farm-to-Table Land Education Foundation One-day Trip” on 13 December to give 16 HSBC Scholars and one HSBC staff the opportunity to take a breather in nature. 

Led by Hayden Chan, Operation and Development Officer, and KC, apprentice at LEF, the one-day trip opened participants’ eyes to the agricultural history of Mui Wo and its community, connected them with the owner of a regenerative farm, and ended with a shared Christmas-themed lunch made with locally produced vegetables. 

LEF: The New Generation of Stewards Safeguarding Ecological Health and Wisdom of the Land

Tucked away on the eastern coast of Lantau Island, Mui Wo is a rural town with an agricultural history dating back to the 16th century. From the cultivation of rice, Mui Wo’s farmers transitioned to vegetables in the 1950s, when local rice production was negatively impacted by the import of foreign rice, and the construction of the Shek Pik Reservoir in 1957 led to the significant loss of water sources for irrigation. 

It was also around this period that Chinese immigrants from Bao’an and Dongguan introduced local farmers to the skills and techniques of vegetable production. The Mui Wo Agricultural Products Marketing and Credit Co-operative Society was established to help Mui Wo farmers sell their produce directly to the government-managed Vegetable Marketing Organisation (VMO), so that farmers could receive a fair value for their produce and efforts.

As we arrived at the iconic Lin Fung Building located in the heart of Mui Wo, Hayden and KC explained that the building has been at the center of local life for more than 60 years. A variety store that sold rice and oil in the past, Lin Fung has now evolved into a cultural center in Mui Wo, hosting cafés, weekend markets, and other community connection activities. 

Next, Hayden and KC took us to Good Old Soil, a new brand established by young people returning from the city to the countryside, supported by the non-profit LEF. “Based in Lantau Island, Good Old Soil aims to gain traditional wisdom from the land, assist farmers and villages, restore better soil health, and preserve the village culture,” explained Hayden. “Central to the work of the organization is helping farmers sell their produce and promoting local farming to the wider community in Hong Kong.”

Naturally, Good Old Soil’s vision and mission are aligned with that of LEF: Protecting natural ecosystems and cultural heritage, improving the quality of living of the poor and the marginalized, and educating the public on the importance of protecting the natural environment and preserving cultural heritage.

Nature Resilience and Regeneratively Produced Floral Tea

Continuing on our walking tour, we stopped by Winne the Farm, which honors the regenerative agriculture approach focused on restoring and enhancing ecosystem health, and is home to a variety of vegetables and fruits such as radish, papaya, and passion fruit, as well as flowers and even coffee. With her produce, like calendula and butterfly pea, Winnie also makes and sells floral tea packs and skin care products.

“I took an interest in starting a farm, but I had no idea how to go about it,” said Winnie Kong, the farmer and owner who took an early retirement from an office job following an injury. “My brother helped me build the basic structures around the farm, and the local community gave me advice on seeding and harvesting. Good Old Soil then encouraged me to promote my farm by arranging farm tours. That was nine years ago.”

Sipping the three types of floral tea brewed by Winnie with the roselle, butterfly pea, and calendula flowers on her farm, the HSBC Scholars learned about the regenerative farming approach that uses natural input, minimizes soil disturbance, and increases biodiversity, which is under threat in Hong Kong and all over the world. 

Here, Winnie explained how solitary bees benefit the nature-based farming approach she adopts, with practices including using egg shells and coffee grounds as natural fertilizers. She also shared a recent story of Mother Nature’s resilience. “One of the papaya trees was destroyed during a typhoon this year. I thought the tree had died. A few months later, however, the tree started bearing fruit!”

Touched and inspired by the beauty of nature, under Winnie’s guidance, the HSBC Scholars began mixing compost soil, which was then placed in pots for cosmos plants. What the Scholars did not know while working the soil was that the potted plants were their gifts to bring home. 

A Taste of Nature, in Nature

Concluding the one-day trip was a moreish Christmas-themed lunch, made with vegetables freshly harvested by Mui Wo’s local farmers, hosted by the Pause Cafe. 

“The Farm-to-Table event was a wonderful experience,” said Francis King, a 2025 HSBC Hong Kong Scholar and student at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. “We learned the agricultural history of Mui Wo and its current form at Winnie’s farm. The variety of her harvest was impressive, and her life reminded us how one could find serenity in bustling Hong Kong.”

Francis’s sentiment was echoed by Stephanie Chan, a 2023 HSBC Scholar who received the Greater Bay Area Scholarship and a student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. “The farm owner, Winnie, has run her business for over nine years. Her passion and dedication are motivating. I am surprised and impressed by someone with such a strong connection to the land and plants. She started everything by herself with her brother. Now, she is selling her agricultural products. I am truly touched and inspired by her.”

Also inspired by Winnie’s journey was Jason Chan, a 2025 HSBC Hong Kong Scholar and student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong: “I was especially fascinated by Ms Winnie’s sharing about her personal journey from a banker to a farmer. Her story reminded me that with enough determination and patience, we can all make a difference to our community and the city we love.” 

As the secretariat of the HSBC Scholarship Scheme and the coordinator for Hub for the Future – a community of past and current recipients of HSBC Scholarships – FSI works to transform the Hub community into a force for good. Since July 2024, we have provided the Hub community with opportunities for mentorship, leadership development, skills acquisition, and community service activities. Learn more about our youth empowerment work here.

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