Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College (HFPJC) organized a service learning trip at Si Yuan Experimental School in Yunnan Chuxiong, China, from 19th to 28th May 2017. 21 HFPJC students and resident fellows took this opportunity to provide community service to the Si Yuan students, as well as to participate in civic engagement and broaden their views of global awareness.

The majority of Si Yuan students are from poor families who need assistance, care and love. Activities such as Little Photographers workshop, Little Inventors workshop, creative writing workshop, hygiene class, English Quiz Games, and introduction to Macau and UM enhanced the cultural exchanges between students in Macau and Chuxiong. Participants brought with them the recycled soap sponsored by the NGO Clean the World to promote eco-friendly lifestyle. They also carried local Macau food and postcards that HFPJC students made as gifts to the children. Participants shared their learning experience with the children and encourage them to pursue their dreams in the future.

Both the UM students and the local children were benefited a lot from this experiential learning program. Si Yuan students told us that the interactions with UM students have broaden their horizons, and gave them hopes to change their future. On the other hand, a UM student said that she realized how lucky she is after the home visit of some local children, and she will try to serve more to those who need help. The learning outcome of this trip is potentially a publication and an exhibition. 

This trip was part of the larger HFPJC’s service learning training program, which is composed of handicraft workshops, charity bazaar, service learning trip, exhibitions, and collaboration with numerous community partners, including Yan Ai Foundation Limited HK (香港言愛基金) and Clean the World Asia (潔世亞洲) . The objective of this program is to enhance the learning competencies in leadership and service as well as citizenship with global perspectives, and to enhance RC’s collaboration with different organizations on community service projects in the mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.