26 Dec 2023
Four Towngas “Strive and Rise” mentors commended for their dedication to nurturing mentees
(26 December 2023) The first round of the Strive and Rise Programme, aimed at helping students break free from cross-generational poverty, has concluded. One mentor participated in more than 10 activities in this round, and was recently honoured with the Active Participation Award by the Government. Another mentor paid close attention to the mentee’s daily lives and provided care, and was consequently awarded the Affectionate & Caring Award. The recognised mentors expressed their satisfaction at witnessing the substantial growth of the mentees over the past year. They felt as if they had relived their own junior secondary school experience, and it was a journey of learning and self-discovery for them. They all said they would encourage their friends to participate in the upcoming new round of the Strive and Rise Programme.
Ms Joan Leung Wai-chung, who served as a mentor in the first phase of the Strive and Rise Programme, is a Senior Systems Operation Manager at The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited. Over the course of a year, she and her matched Form 3 mentee, Liu, participated in a total of 17 activities, including visits to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck, and watching a performance by Hong Kong Ballet, among others. Recently, at the Graduation Ceremony of the Strive and Rise Programme held by the HKSAR Government, Ms Leung was awarded the Active Participation Award. She expressed gratitude for Liu’s willingness to join her in various activities and jokingly said, “It feels like I’ve relived an exciting Form 3 journey, not because I accompanied her, but because we accompanied each other. Moreover, she was more active and engaged during the activities than I had imagined. With my encouragement, she was brave enough to step forward and share her experience in front of everyone, which made me see her in a new light.”
Another mentor, Mr Luk Tung-kwong, was rewarded the Affectionate & Caring Award. Mr Luk is a Transmission Project Engineer at Towngas. He shared that he came from a modest background in his childhood and wanted to use his current capabilities to help underprivileged students, which motivated him to join the programme. When he first met his assigned Form 1 mentee, Tsang, he noticed that the nose pad of his glasses was broken. Without hesitation, Mr Luk took him to get a new pair. He also accompanied him to various activities such as ice skating, camping, and coffee making. Through these small acts of care, Tsang’s heart began to open up. Mr Luk said, “In the beginning, Tsang was quiet, wouldn’t respond to text messages, and was only focused on playing video games. But our bond grew stronger over time, and he became more open to interacting and sharing about himself. Moreover, he started participating in the activities without getting distracted by video games. It is evident that he has experienced remarkable personal growth.
Two other employees of Towngas, Ms Yvonne Yim Ewan and Mr John Lo Kin-chong, were also honoured with the Companion and Guidance Award. They both emphasised the significance of patience in fostering relationships with their mentees. Ms Yim, a Senior Customer Service Officer at the Customer Service Hotline, was paired with a Form 3 female mentee considering dropping out of school. During their initial meeting, the mentee remained silent and had no smiles. Ms Yim brainstormed ways to break the ice and attempted to involve her own daughter, who was of a similar age, in the activities. She discovered that the mentee became interested when they discussed makeup, gradually bridging the gap between them. “Eventually, the mentee began reaching out to me, joining activities together, confiding in me, and seeking advice on further education. I encouraged her to bravely pursue her dreams, and in the end, she decided to enrol in a VTC programme, successfully finding her purpose.” Ms Yim stated that this programme allowed her to learn how to interact with young girls again and taught her a valuable lesson.
Mr John Lo Kin-chong, a Digital Corporate Solutions Project Manager, expressed his joy upon receiving the commendation. He humbly said, “I simply try my best to provide freedom to my mentee, allowing him to choose activities he enjoys. Coincidentally, our interests align well. I work in the IT department, and my mentee, Chan, is very interested in programming, so we clicked right away.” Mr Lo went a step further and brought Chan to the office to participate in a shadowing workshop, where he learned in Mr Lo’s department. Chan’s programming skills earned him praise from the staff members, who recognised his talent. “I take pride in my mentee. He taught himself programming and strives hard to achieve his goal.”
A total of 31 employees from Towngas served as mentors in the Strive and Rise Programme. The Company also organised three Towngas Green Day visit events in March, May, and July, inviting over a hundred mentees and mentors to visit the Towngas headquarters and the Tai Po Gas Production Plant, providing them insights into the milestones of clean energy development. Towngas is delighted by the commendation received by the four mentors from the Company, and will continue to support the second round of the Strive and Rise Programme. The Company hopes that more staff members will join as mentors to inspire mentees to explore their personal development possibilities, strengthen their confidence, and discover their life goals, collectively shaping a brighter future.
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Press photos:
Photos 1 & 2:
Towngas fully supports the Strive and Rise Programme and hosted three Towngas Green Day events in March, May, and July, offering participants a range of activities and experiences.
Photo 3:
Four Towngas employees receive commendation for their efforts in serving as the Strive and Rise Programme mentors. They are (from left): Ms Joan Leung Wai-chung, Senior Systems Operation Manager; Ms Yvonne Yim Ewan, Senior Customer Service Officer at the Customer Service Hotline; Mr Luk Tung-kwong, Transmission Project Engineer; and Mr John Lo Kin-chong, Digital Corporate Solutions Project Manager.
Photos 4 & 5:
Ms Joan Leung Wai-chung (photo 4: right; photo 5: left) frequently engages mentee Liu in various activities, fostering mutual learning and growth.
Photos 6 & 7:
For mentee Chu (photo 6: 1st from left; photo 7: right), who has become more proactive and found a life goal after participating in the programme, mentor Ms Yvonne Yim Ewan (photo 6: 1st from right; photo 7: left) feels a sense of gratification.
Photo 8:
Mr John Lo Kin-chong (right) takes mentee Chan to the Towngas office for a shadowing workshop to gain insights into the information technology industry.
Photo 9:
Mr John Lo Kin-chong (left) allows his mentee, Chan, to choose activities he enjoys, such as remote-controlled car racing, to enhance his sense of engagement.
Photos 10 & 11:
Mr Luk Tung-kwong (left) strengthens the bond with mentee Tsang (right) by participating in various activities together. He also accompanies him in selecting a second-hand laptop, making his learning more convenient.
For media enquiries, please contact:
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
Mr Addie Lam
Assistant General Manager –
Corporate Affairs
Tel: 2963 2578 / 6702 6449
Email:
addie.lam@towngas.com |
Ms Kara Kwong
Senior Corporate Communications Officer
Tel: 2963 3497 / 6698 3357
Email:
kara.kwong@towngas.com |