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Mr. CHENG Wai Hong, Henry |
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Showing Benevolence and Love for all
Achieving Goodness through Sincerity and Naturality
Thanks to the trust and support of members of the Advisory Board and the Board of Directors, I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been elected as the new Chairperson of the Board of Directors, a position that carries with it a tremendous sense of responsibility.
This year, Yan Oi Tong will embody the spirit of “Showing Benevolence and Love for all, Achieving Goodness through Sincerity and Naturality”, reaching out to those in need regardless of their race, gender, age, or beliefs. We will work together with people of Hong Kong to strive for progress and actively respond to the needs of the society.
Building on the foundation laid by our predecessors, we will proactively optimise and expand our welfare services through innovative thinking and enterprising spirit. We will fulfill our mission to serve the community and, spread love and compassion to every corner of our community.
This year marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In response to the deeds of the SAR Government, Yan Oi Tong will coordinate and mobilise its departments and divisions to prepare for the National Day celebrations. We will organise over 75 diversified and enriching events to create a festive atmosphere throughout the society, fostering patriotism and sharing the joy of the national celebration with all sectors of the community.
Community Services
Dedicated to promoting respect, love and care for the elderly
In line with the spirit of the national “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” and the “Memorandum of Cooperation on Care for the Elderly between Guangdong and Hong Kong”, we have partnered with Shenzhen Happiness and Health Group (“Shum Yip Group”) to collaborate on various fronts, including training elderly care professionals for the Greater Bay Area, providing cross-boundary elderly care services, and promoting gerontech products. Our aim is to provide Hong Kong seniors with access to information on elderly care services available in the Greater Bay Area, offer more options available to them, and enable them to make informed choices for their well-being. To this end, we will explore recreational and residential care services across the boundary, allowing Hong Kong seniors to experience the unique features of local nursing homes in Shenzhen. We anticipate that more than 200 Hong Kong seniors will experience this cross-boundary initiative of elderly care services in the first year.
Actively exploring the establishment of “YOT Central Kitchen” to provide nutritious and high-quality meals for the elderly
With the significant surge in meal provisions subsidised by the Social Welfare Department and the escalating demand for delicate soft meals among the elderly recipients, we are proactively exploring the feasibility of establishing a “YOT Central Kitchen”. This initiative aims not only to meet the growing service needs but also to efficiently utilise resources, offering high-quality meals and foodstuffs to various service units and local organisations. It will also create more job opportunities for the community.
Continuously promoting gerontech and digital inclusion among elderly
Given the rapid advancement of digital technology, we are committed to assisting the elderly in keeping pace with the times. To this end, we will further promote gerontech products, including smart health monitoring devices, smart home solutions, and online health management platforms. Through the power of technology, we will provide more convenient and intelligent elderly care services, catering to the diverse needs of the senior population. It is anticipated that gerontech products will be promoted to 500 Hong Kong seniors in the first year. We will also proactively champion digital inclusion. Yan Oi Tong Woo Chung District Elderly Community Centre, our four Neighbourhood Elderly Centres, and our Yuen Long Home Care Services Team have applied for the “Connecting with the Elderly”, a 30-month laptop and online support programme sponsored by the Jockey Club. Under the programme, volunteers will be arranged to receive training and visit hidden elderlies, elderly singletons, or families of elderly doubletons and teach them how to use laptops. This initiative aims to enhance the IT proficiency of homebound seniors, fostering community connectivity and improving their quality of life.
Comprehensive attention to mental health of different strata
Recognising the escalating mental health concerns among carers, our elderly centres located in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Fo Tan, and Hong Kong Island will establish “Me Time Café” this year. These Cafés will serve as supportive hubs where carers can unwind and decompress. Here they can also exchange experiences, build support networks, and find solidarity with peers who share similar challenges. Services offered will include training volunteer ambassadors or carers on coffee brewing and latte art. Together, we will create a relaxing atmosphere within the Me Time Cafés, so that carers can escape from their worries and immerse themselves in a moment of tranquillity. The Cafés will also provide board games, craft materials, and books, allowing carers to choose their favourite activities. These engagements will promote relaxation, relieve stress, and cultivate personal interests.
With sponsorship from Phase II of the Mental Health Initiatives Funding Scheme by the Advisory Committee on Mental Health, the “Together, We Care” Medical and Social Support for Caregivers Scheme, which began in May 2023, will collaborate with Yan Oi Tong’s Chinese Medicine Mobile Clinics (CMMCs) to establish service stations under the Scheme. Aimed at supporting hidden carers, these stations will provide immediate health consultations and care information to local residents, reaching out to underserved hidden carers. They will also identify carers with physical and mental health needs early on and offer timely assistance.
Youths and students, who face emotional and stress-related issues, also deserve our attention. We are committed to bridging the gap among industry professionals, parents, and teachers, fostering a nurturing platform, and facilitating collaboration between schools and the community. By leveraging the resources of the District Integrated Children and Youth Services Centres, we aim to provide a safe space for young people to unwind, offering emotional support, companionship, and counselling services whenever and wherever necessary. Addressing the issues of insomnia and mental health among young people stemming from emotions and stress, we are proactively exploring the introduction of Chinese medical services to help stress relief. Furthermore, we are dedicated to supporting students with special needs and developing targeted intervention strategies that cater to their unique developmental requirements. We aim to ensure that they can reach their full potential by fostering a meaningful and inclusive learning environment.
Fostering a caring and inclusive community to enhance residents’ well-being
We are committed to fostering a multicultural and inclusive community within the neighbourhood, striving towards creating a liveable and harmonious environment for all. We have successfully secured a grant of $1.6 million from the Home Affairs Department. This funding will enable us to implement a two-year “Joy in Tuen Mun - Community Collaborative Learning Project”.
The initiative aims to provide a platform for ethnic minorities, new arrivals from the Mainland, and local Chinese residents in Tuen Mun to come together, fostering racial harmony and equality within the community. Besides, for the tenth consecutive year, we have been awarded funding from the Tuen Mun District Office’s “District-based Integration Programme for Ethnic Minorities”. This support allows us to continue implementing the “Harmony City@love in one” programme, which offers opportunities for non-Chinese speaking individuals in Tuen Mun to engage and develop their talents within the community. The Programme continually provides a platform for women of different backgrounds and ethnicities to establish mutual support and care, while enhancing their own health and well-being.
Following our participation in the New Estate Support Programme for Ching Tin Estate and Wo Tin Estate last year, we have once again received funding from the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund this year, to provide support services to the new Moon Tin Estate in Tuen Mun. The estate is scheduled for occupation in May 2024. Leveraging our extensive experience, we will assist new residents in familiarising themselves with the surrounding community facilities and adapting to the new environment. Our comprehensive range of services, including building inspection guidance and basic maintenance tools, will help residents identify potential structural issues in their new units early on, thus preventing the need for costly and time-consuming repairs after moving in.
After School Care Service Scheme
With funding support from the Community Care Fund, we started the “After School Care Service Scheme” in March this year. We have partnered with Chinese YMCA Primary School in Tin Shui Wai to provide support to 40 families from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Scheme offers students in need the opportunity to receive learning support and participate in enriching activities in a safe and familiar campus environment after regular school hours and during school holidays, so as to enhance their physical and mental well-being. The Scheme also helps alleviate the pressure on parents, enabling them to seek full-time or longer-term part-time employment and improve the living standards of the families.
Medical Services
Expanding the CMMC Fleet and continuing the spirit of free medication and care
In alignment with the Government’s blueprint for promoting primary healthcare, we have rallied diverse forces and proactively engaged community resources to launch various free Chinese medication initiatives, including “YOT CMMC Appreciation Day” and “Love U All Charitable Foundation Free Medication Programme”. Among others, our mobile clinics ventured into Kowloon City to provide free medication to ethnic minorities for the first time, which was met with enthusiastic reception. We will continue collaborating with local organisations, offering professional medical support for free clinic activities and alleviating the medical burden on the public. To further expand our CMMC fleet, I am deeply honoured to have contributed towards naming and launching Yan Oi Tong’s 36th CMMC as “YOT CHENG Wai Hong Chinese Medicine Mobile Clinic”. It is my sincere hope that the vehicle will promptly commence its services, providing medical care to a wider population in need.
Equipping the CMMC fleet with AEDs to establish a community safety net in Hong Kong
Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death. To enhance community readiness in deploying and using Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), Yan Oi Tong is pioneering the installation of 32 AEDs across its CMMC fleet and medical centres this year. All frontline medical staff, including Chinese medicine practitioners, vehicle assistants, and assistant nurses, have received relevant training. And leveraging the unique mobility of our CMMCs, this initiative aims to cover over 100 service locations across the territory, ensuring timely assistance to patients and safeguarding public health during critical moments. Furthermore, we will collaborate with the Fire Services Department to organise events promoting the “AED Anywhere for Anyone” (“AAA”) Programme and to support the Centralized AED Registry for Emergency (CARE). Together, we will build a safety net for the community.
Bolstering support for grassroots cancer patients
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Hong Kong. According to government projections, the annual number of new cancer cases is expected to reach a staggering 42,000 by 2030, highlighting a growing need for cancer-related treatments among the public. To enhance support for cancer patients at the grassroots level, we through the YOT Chong Sok Un Medical Fund (Cancer Aid), will collaborate with our self-funded Chinese medical units to launch the “Cancer Relief Service Programme”. The Fund will diligently match patients in need and subsidise those facing financial difficulties to access our internal Chinese medicine and acupuncture services, so as to improve patients’ constitution, mitigate discomfort arising from anti-cancer medications, and ultimately enhance their quality of life.
Continuing the Outreach Dental Care Programme for the elderly
Since 2014, Yan Oi Tong has been appointed by the Department of Health to assist in the implementation of the “Outreach Dental Care Programme for the Elderly” (ODCP). So far, YOT has set up ten ODCP teams in various districts, including Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Sha Tin, Tai Po, North, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing. Every year, we provide dental services for about 20,000 eligible elderly in residential care homes and day care centres, which account for about 40% of the total number of service recipients under the ODCP. This year, Yan Oi Tong was again successful in its bid for a new three-year service contract for the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027. We will continue to provide ODCP services for the elderly in existing areas to alleviate their dental sufferings.
Education Services
Spreading the spirit of education and planting the SEED YOT Education Service Promotion Scheme
With the mission of “promoting education and nurturing talents”, Yan Oi Tong is committed to providing “consistent, diversified and quality” education services to the public. This year, the Education Service Division will become a partner of the SEED (Social, Emotional & Ethical Development) Programme. With the implementation of “mindfulness” training in YOT kindergartens, we aim at enhancing the physical and mental well-being of teachers and students and building up a positive mindset.
Nurturing management talents to master the smart era
In addition to the declining birth rate resulting in fewer students, the wastage of teachers in recent years should not be overlooked. The loss of experienced middle-ranking teachers has posed a great challenge to many schools in Hong Kong. In order to maintain professional education services and improve the management ladder of schools, Yan Oi Tong will organise a medium- to long-term management course with its affiliated schools in 2024, focusing on the training of middle level teachers. On the other hand, generative AI has been exploding since last year. At the frontline of the education sector, there is no time to lose in mastering the latest technology to facilitate learning and teaching. To this end, Yan Oi Tong has taken the lead in organising teacher training on generative AI for all kindergarten teachers. Among others, we have set up “AI Intelligence Corners”, using the concept of real-life contextual assessment to provide feedback to students’ learning. And we have introduced IB learning elements in the form of a pilot project, so as to enhance and explore learning activities in English medium. It is hoped that Yan Oi Tong’s frontline teachers will be able to keep abreast with the pace of the times and enhance their work efficiency.
Recycling glass bottles for colouring the world
The “Colouring the World through Recycling” Scheme, a collaborative effort among the Correctional Services Department (CSD), Yan Oi Tong, and Action Green Committee Limited, will be implemented in 15 YOT primary, secondary schools, and kindergarten during the year. Covering recycled wood and recycled glass sand from Y·PARK, the initiative will educate and enhance students’ awareness of recycling while promoting support for the rehabilitation of inmates. Under the Scheme, glass bottle recycling bins will be set up in participating schools. And glass bottles will be recycled and processed by contractors appointed by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). The CSD will gather the processed glass sand for manufacture of eco-friendly products at Tai Lam Correctional Institution.
Yan Oi Tong Choi Wong Ling Ling Education Fund
Combining environmental protection and inclusion elements to foster a deeper love for home and country
The Yan Oi Tong Choi Wong Ling Ling Education Fund aims to develop quality education programmes to promote the whole-person development of students. In the upcoming year, the Education Fund will actively prepare to relaunch environmental protection and innovative technology development programmes and also continue its Chinese culture initiatives. Among others, it will fund YOT primary, secondary schools and kindergarten to organise high-quality educational activities, which will ignite the spirit of “loving the environment and loving our home”. Such initiatives are also aimed at cultivating students’ interest and understanding of Chinese culture. In addition, the Fund will also launch the “Subsidy for Music and Arts Learning” programme to help students with special learning needs to explore their potential, with an aim to create an inclusive community and cultivate diverse talents for the society.
Training and Project Development
Collaborating with Tencent Education to nurture innovative talents
In this rapidly evolving era, students must be equipped to navigate the changes and challenges brought about by technological advancement. Yan Oi Tong YES Youth Institute, in partnership with Tencent Education, recently organised a symposium on AI education practices in primary and secondary schools. Entitled “Shaping the Future of Education with Smart Technology”, the event engaged school principals in exploring ways to promote the development of AI education in Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools. To support young people’s career development and prepare them for the changing times, we will continue to collaborate with Tencent Education to advance AI education and introduce relevant courses into primary and secondary schools. We remain committed to nurturing a growing pool of innovative talents for our future.
Priority for offering Chinese medicine courses to enhance personal competitiveness
In recent years, the number of training places approved by the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) for Yan Oi Tong has been on a steady rise. In the upcoming year, we will strive for innovation and develop new courses to cater the needs of the market and the general public. Currently, we have successfully obtained approval from the ERB to offer two new courses in Chinese medicine, which we will have the priority to operate for the first three years. Furthermore, in alignment with the Government’s initiative to encourage ongoing learning and lifelong education among citizens, we will be offering a wider range of refresher courses, including part-time courses by the ERB and fee-charging refresher courses under the “Skills Level Up Services”. These courses aim to help members of the public to enhance their personal competitiveness.
Yan Oi Tong Jockey Club Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Centre committed to supporting residents in New Territories West
With the official launch of Yan Oi Tong Jockey Club Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Centre, we are committed to expanding our services across three key areas. First, employment matching, where we will promote our affiliated “YOT Job Search Platform" and organise various job fairs. Second, career development, where we will offer digital multimedia experiences for young people and provide training and further education courses for local employees. Last, entrepreneurship support, where we will assist aspiring entrepreneurs by providing office space, facilities, and organising entrepreneurship seminars. Looking ahead, the Centre plans to organise more activities catering to different age groups, aiming to meet the growing demand for employment and entrepreneurship support in the community. With an expected annual service capacity of more than 10,000 individuals, we are committed to becoming a comprehensive platform for employment and entrepreneurship support in the district.
Sustainable Development
Establishing a working group to bid for LPH projects and creating harmonious communities
In addition to operating the “Yan Oi House” transitional housing project in Hung Shui Kiu, Yan Oi Tong is fully supporting the “Light Public Housing” (LPH) projects launched by the Housing Authority. The initiative aim to fill the short-term gap of public housing supply and improve the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing at the soonest. We have actively commenced preparatory work and established a dedicated working group specifically for bidding on the operation contract. With the goal of creating harmonious communities, we are ready to submit a professional, innovative, and comprehensive proposal for the operation of LPH projects.
Transforming living environments to empower youths towards a positive life
The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) has introduced the Youth Hostel Scheme, subsidising NGOs to rent suitable hotels and guesthouses for use as youth hostels. The Scheme aims to assist young people in overcoming hurdles in education, employment, entrepreneurship and home, while fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility towards society. Yan Oi Tong strongly aligns with the Scheme’s philosophy and intends to leverage our extensive experience in youth services to actively explore participation in the “Subsidy Scheme for Using Hotels and Guesthouses as Youth Hostels” promoted by the HYAB. We have identified potential industry partners and are eager to finalise a cooperation agreement. We plan to submit our project proposal to the HYAB this year, so as to contribute to supporting young people in realising their aspirations.
Winning the “Green@Tuen Mun” operation contract again and continuing to serve Tuen Mun residents
Yan Oi Tong started the operation of “Green@Tuen Mun” in 2018. We are proud to have been awarded the subsequent operation contract for the facility. We will continue to provide comprehensive recycling and environmental education programmes to the residents of Tuen Mun at our new location near Lung Fu Road over the next three years, promoting green living within the community.
Carrying Forward YOT’s Charitable Cause in 2024
Yan Oi Tong started providing free medical services and carrying out relief work for the disadvantaged since 1930's, with unwavering dedication to its mission. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to officials, predecessors, friends, and members of the public for their support rendered to Yan Oi Tong. Under the leadership of Miss TAI Kai Lun, Karen as the Chairperson, the previous Board of Directors achieved encouraging results. Looking ahead, we recognise the weight of our responsibilities. On behalf of the 45th Term Board of Directors and the entire YOT team, I pledge our commitment to serving the public, upholding the spirit of benevolence, and contributing to the welfare of society with our utmost efforts. Together, we will build better, brighter, and more brilliant future for our country and for Hong Kong. Thank you very much!
