One by One: Amway Hong Kong

In 2005, Amway Hong Kong and Amway China joined together to provide $192,000 to the Amway China Education Aid Program 2005-2006. The program aims at improving the education and well-being of children by recruiting and training university graduates in Hong Kong to work as volunteer teachers in remote and poor areas in China. The volunteer teachers have helped more than 2,300 village children by teaching Chinese, English, Geography, Physics, Art and Music respectively in three different schools, Aizhai Secondary School, Hexi Secondary School and Majingao Secondary School. The first group of Hong Kong volunteer teachers began their one-year service in August 2005 in Jishou City, Hunan Province. With the volunteer teachers’ special teaching approach and additional love and care, students in the aided region have been able to make great strides in their education and discipline.

• To broaden the students’ horizons and help boost their confidence, volunteer teachers have introduced a number of extra-curricular activities for students including computer graphic design, harmonica team, choir, Hong Kong-Jishou pen-pal program and a funfair.
• Children at Majingao Secondary School learned about Christmas traditions at a Christmas party held by their volunteer teachers.
• Miss Karen Poon started a choir for the students of Aizhai Secondary School, allowing the children to develop their love of singing and perform in the school’s New Year’s Eve Gala.
• Volunteer teachers at the Hexi Secondary School have developed a mini English Learning Institute where student read and sing songs in English.
• A language centre has been built in Aizhai Secondary School where students can now learn English and practice Oral English with proper learning aids.
• A computer room has been built in Majingao Secondary School, allowing students to learn basic computer skills effectively.
• A large cooking stove has been built in Hexi Secondary School where students will now have hot water for drinking and showering during cold weather.

• Many students have gone from not being able to distinguish the 26 letters of the alphabet to being able to follow simple instructions in English. Under the guidance of Miss Mandy Chan, the number of students passing mid-term exams in her class at Aizhai Secondary School increased from three to 24.
• Thanks to the financial aid the program provides, 252 poor students in the three aided schools can now enjoy their studies without worrying about the financial burden to their families.

Honored for Moving Deed: volunteers’ efforts have won praise and recognition from local teachers and students alike. They have been named as the “Top 10 Teachers Who Moved China 2005” by People’s Daily Online in 2005.