Everyone will always encounter different difficulties on the way to growth, but as long as they face it hard, they can always play a reversal and win the game.
Among the three winners of the first AIA Scholarship, some were labelled because of their skin color, some were born in the grassroots, and some were not comfortable with the new arrivals and were self-confident and frustrated.
Despite the different adversities, they did not compromise with their fate. They also rely on perseverance to pass the examination of their favorite department with excellent results, and pursue their dreams with the support of scholarships.
Looking forward to the future, they stick to their original intentions and unanimously said: "I hope to use their own experience and ability to give back to the society and help more people."
Photography: Zheng Zifeng, Ou Jiale
A Filipino student who was labeled because of his skin color pursues the dream of law: I want to help the disadvantaged fight for justice
Trisha, a Filipino, was born and raised in Hong Kong. She speaks fluent Cantonese and is an authentic Hong Kong person.
However, when she was a child, she suffered strange eyes because of her different skin color, and her ability was repeatedly questioned: "When I was a child, I went to a birthday party. A classmate once asked me that your parents are domestic helpers, and you will become domestic helpers when you grow up. Does it affect my self-confidence." She remembered this feeling of being despised in her heart, and always reminded herself that she must use good grades to prove her strength.
Trisha communicated with her parents in English and Filipino since she was a child, but her Chinese level was not as good as her ideal, and the tuition fees were too expensive, so she had to read books and TV programs to study hard by herself.
In addition to being underestimated, Trisha also found that many ethnic minorities did not understand their legal rights, which made her determined to become a lawyer to confuse others.
She confessed that she wanted to make changes the most, providing legal advice to the needy in a non-profit organization to help the disadvantaged.
This insistence allowed her to finally be admitted to the law department. Unfortunately, she couldn't afford the tuition fee of more than 40,000 yuan in a short time. There was a chance to lose her hard-earned degree. She had to go back to the Philippines to study: "Additionally, my dad was injured and unable to work. I couldn't help it. I cried in front of my family. But I was born and grew up in Hong Kong, so I didn’t want to leave.” Until she got the scholarship to relieve her urgent need, she could finally stay in Hong Kong to study, focus on learning legal knowledge, and realize her legal dream without worry. Experience helping fellow travelers.
The scholarship gave Trisha more time to devote herself to community service. She once organized a mentorship program for minority middle school students.
Nursing students from the grassroots are fortunate to receive assistance from many sources, determined to become angels in white and give back to the society
Sunny Li Junjie (Ryan) accompanied his mother with heart disease to the hospital for follow-up consultations since he was a child. Ryan was moved by the professionalism of the medical staff and believed that they were the saviors to save his mother and determined to become an angel in white.
Helpless father is a casual job on the site and his family income is unstable. When he was a child, even if he wanted to participate in study tours and interest classes, he did not dare to tell his family, and he had to study hard on his own.
"I used to think it was unfair. I studied so hard, but because of lack of resources, I was slow at the starting line." Despite the difficulties, with perseverance, he finally succeeded in entering the nursing department.
Ryan recalled that his father had a fracture at work two years ago and stopped working for half a year.
At that time, the family had zero income, and his mother had to spend his savings, and he and his sisters had to do more part-time jobs to support expenses.
Entrance to university is a happy thing, but tuition, boarding and other expenses have soared. Ryan, who doesn't want to add to the burden on his family, chooses to work part-time to make money, but his work-related difficulties make him unable to concentrate on his studies and get into a dilemma.
However, he did not give up and obtained a scholarship with good grades to relieve the financial burden: "Finally I have money to buy tablets, internship supplies, and textbooks to study. After I don't have to be busy doing part-time jobs, I have more time to invest in social services." He admitted that the scholarship is. Affirming his many years of hard work, he encouraged him to continue to pursue his dreams and use his abilities to give back to the society: "In the future, I will continue to do research on public health and medical care. I am not from a wealthy family, but I am fortunate to have been receiving different social assistance. When I am able and knowledgeable now, I hope to help those in need."
Ryan and his classmates regularly organize community medical services and purchase blood pressure machines and other equipment to provide inspections for the grassroots citizens on a voluntary basis.
Young people come to Hong Kong to adapt to the situation
At the age of 9, he came to Hong Kong with his family. Economics student Steve Liu said that he did not adapt to an unfamiliar environment and knew nothing about English and Cantonese. He had to drop classes when he enrolled.
He can neither keep up with the progress of his studies nor dare to communicate with others, becoming more and more introverted.
It was not until I met a social worker who took him to play football and volunteer, that I made more friends and slowly regained my self-confidence.
Recalling that he couldn't keep up with the learning progress when he was a child, but lost learning opportunities due to family problems, Steve said that he felt so disappointed and confused at the time.
Steve, who used football to get out of the predicament, has since dreamed of becoming a football coach, hoping to be a life mentor for children, accompany them through the high mountains and low valleys, and infect them with his own stories and positive energy: "I want them to know not to give up easily, even if it is hard. Opportunities are also obtained by yourself. If you work hard to express yourself and find learning opportunities, you can have a better future."
After receiving the scholarship, Steve finally got extra support, but he was well equipped to chase his dreams: "The scholarship has solved my financial difficulties, and it has given me the opportunity to apply for coaching classes, etc. to add value to myself, and to have more learning opportunities and more time to concentrate on thinking. Things to do."
Steve, who has always been teaching righteousness, hopes that after graduation, he can combine his business knowledge to set up a sports club, provide support and instill correct values through football, and infect the next generation with positive energy.
AIA established the "AIA Scholarship" in 2020 and promised to invest 100 million U.S. dollars. In the next few decades, it will subsidize 100 undergraduate students studying in many universities in Hong Kong every year.
The AIA Charity Foundation also organizes various activities for scholarship winners, including adventure leader training camps, star lectures, etc., to help them broaden their horizons and develop their future.
Students who are interested in applying for scholarships can check with universities, or refer to: www.aia.com/zh-hk/about-aia/aia-scholarships.html