“Yunus Social Business Centre (YSBC) at CUHK - Jockey Club Youth Programme” held the S.I. Leadership Award Ceremony 2018 and Yunus Social Business Seminar, the first award ceremony of YSBC at CUHK on 23 July 2018 (Monday). Marking the launch of the “YSBC at CUHK – Jockey Club Youth Programme”, Prof. Muhammad YUNUS, Nobel Peace Laureate in 2006, was invited to be the presenter of the awards and the speaker at the seminar, where he told of his hopes for the “world of three zeros” (zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions).
Prof. Joseph SUNG Jao Yiu, SBS, JP, the Co-Chairman of Steering Committee for Promoting Personal Development through Social and Civic Engagement of CUHK said in his welcome that he felt pleased that many alumni who are interested in poverty alleviation joined the ceremony. He hoped the university would be a platform which incubates and assists young people in starting their social business and provides training and practice opportunities to them. In fact, “YSBC at CUHK - Jockey Club Youth Programme” tries to share the burden of this role in the university. Benefitting from the experience of Professor YUNUS, YSBC at CUHK is trying to mobilise students and alumni to make their ideas become real.
Ms Winnie YING, the Head of Charities (Grant Making – Youth, Education & Training, Poverty) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) said the Club is excited about the establishment of YSBC at CUHK. Apart from funding the Centre’s initial cost, the Club’s Charities Trust (the Trust) was also pleased to support the three-year Jockey Club Youth Programme. Through the YSBC at CUHK and the Jockey Club Youth Programme, the Trust aimed to encourage the youth to cultivate skills and knowledge to create their own social business.
The first award ceremony of YSBC - The S.I. Leadership Award
Professor YUNUS was invited to present the awards to the awardees of 2018-19 S.I. Leadership Award of “YSBC at CUHK - Jockey Club Youth Programme. Three teams received awards this year - WeWah Music, Philhub and Part-time Grandchild - Intergenerational Support Platform, each getting HK$80,000 as seed funding to start their social business.
WeWah Music
It aims to provide professional voluntary piano education to Hong Kong students of limited means who are passionate about music, to allow them to pursue their dreams as musicians. Through recycling and upcycling of secondhand music resources and instruments, and organising workshops, more students from the grassroots can know about music and the arts and promote a sense of community and collaboration in civil society.
Philhub
It aims to combat human trafficking. By working with anti-human trafficking organisations in local and high risk regions, it will help improve the livelihood of trafficking survivors and at-risk individuals, and their families, through educations and the sale of products produced by them.
Part-time Grandchild - Intergenerational Support Platform
It aims to establish a platform to match youth with the elderly who lack support and allow them, after training, to provide support services to these elderly people whilst, at the same time, earning a living and accumulating work experience. This can promote positive interaction and transgenerational harmony among youth and the elderly.
Yunus Social Business Seminar–Promoting the “three zeros missions” to change the world
Professor YUNUS shared his hopes for social business in the seminar. He explained that capitalism intensified the inequality caused by continuous wealth concentration, and this made people feel disappointed towards it. Therefore, Professor YUNUS suggested fundamental changes in the economic model. He described ingenious financial tools for funding social business and sketched the legal and regulatory changes that are necessary for the socially driven innovations. He suggested people to “do something to make things happened ” and encouraged youth, business, political leaders and citizens to join creating a better world.
Prof. WONG Hung, the Director of YSBC at CUHK said in his closing remarks that he felt grateful for the guests’ participation, especially that of Professor YUNUS who had made a long journey to Hong Kong. He also praised the contribution of youth to solving social problems and hoped YSBC at CUHK could assist them in dealing with the challenges in the start-up of their social businesses, and help them attain growth and goal achievement.
About “Yunus Social Business Centre at CUHK - Jockey Club Youth Programme”
Yunus Social Business Centre (YSBC) at CUHK obtained permission from Professor YUNUS to name the Centre after him. With the support of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, YSBC at CUHK was set up and the “Yunus Social Business Centre at CUHK - Jockey Club Youth Programme” was initiated, aiming to encourage real action from youth in social business through a series of training and incubation programmes. Benefitting from Professor YUNUS’ enormous experience and expertise, the programme encourages young people to alleviate poverty through social business.
