SP@RC

RCHK have been working with the Non-Governmental Organisation “Free the Bears” for years. We have been supporting bringing captured and tortured bears into the bear sanctuary where they receive proper medical care and can regain their strength, and enjoy the rest of their lives in a peaceful environment.
RCHK students support two female bears – moon bear and sun bear rescued in 2004 and 2018 respectfully. Their names: Kham and Mary Christmas.

CLI’s Learning Centres provide opportunities for rural kids to encounter, explore and learn in areas they could not otherwise. Through RCHK’s Partnership with Community Learning International (CLI), RCHK students can have direct impact and involvement with local Laos children. The recent projects supported by SP@RC fund were two Lao Children’s Library Boats, which bring books and learning activities to nearly 100 riverside villages and three rural district Learning Centers which bring books and activities by motorbike to more than 100 rural/remote primary schools. The funds also went to school infrastructure construction, with an emphasis on classrooms for ethnic minority students and dormitories for girls.

Located in Dausa, East Bali, the Side By Side Farm has been one of the destinations for CAS programmes and the recipient of donations made by RCHK. Such contributions help make a huge difference to the lives of people in and around Dausa village. In 2019/20 funds from RCHK went towards producing educational materials and programs for the local community to improve farming efficiency as well as improve the living of the villagers, including houses renovations. Based on the report from Side by Side Organic Farm, the organization is also looking at using a part of the donation to buy and raise moringa trees, the powder produced from which can be used as an antibiotic.

Working with CTTP for years, in 2019 RCHK donated over HK$ 30,000 towards activities ensuring teacher training and maintaining the facilities at the training centre. Through funding, we also make sure schools’ continuity and that they are not being left without vacancies to ensure continuity of education. The CTTP also provides basic accommodation for the trainee teachers.

Organized by and in collaboration with Buffalo Tours, RCHK secondary students have participated in cement making, wall building, dirt shovelling and hoeing – resulting in exhausted arms but a sense of accomplishment, as they contributed to building dormitories for those students who had to travel distances of up to 40 kilometres to get to school. The group was also invited to play football and volleyball with local students. This Laos cultural exchange and experience allowed them to collaborate with the local students, dancing and singing local songs and learning how to make the traditional ceremonial decoration with banana leaves and flowers, among other activities.

In November 2019, during CAS Week, secondary students visited our SP@RC-supported projects at Deeya Shree School in Kathmandu, Nepal. It has been an immense pleasure for the school to receive a team of teachers and students from RCHK every year as local students are very excited to study and interact with them as well as have the opportunity to be exposed to the international teaching methods and technology. With RCHK’s financial contribution every year, Deeya Shree School have been able to make numerous improvements, including uninterrupted internet facilities, purchase of the printer and bookshelves and stationery.
Moreover, the school has been operating in the new building, which will eventually be upgrading to a high school in due course.

A visit to George Mhaule Primary School in Numbi was very memorable and heart-warming, and undoubtedly the happiest moment of the South Africa trip. This was SP@RC-led project which was a part of annual RCHK’s Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) Week. Our students helped build a playground for the local students. The site includes a bus, an obstacle course and painted tires and wooden posts. Though our students’ stay at the school was very short, they were able to interact with children during their breaks and play football. In the future, we hope to continue working with and supporting the George Mhaule school, which would hopefully include collecting and sending books to students, as the school’s current library is very limited.