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English Teachers Training Program

Posted in About Grace Charity

                                                                                                                                          A259

 

The "English Teachers Training Program" was conducted for a total of 140 English teachers in Majiang County, Guizhou Province in August 2017. The project was made possible through the help and liaison of Grace Charity Foundation Ltd and the generous donation from a lady who prefers to remain anonymous。。。

 

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Our Story

Posted in About Grace Charity

 A291

Origin

In 1994, a group of volunteers participated in helping after a devastating flood in southern China. Upon discovering the poor living conditions in the surrounding area, the volunteers established a school in Guangxi province in an effort to raise local standards of living.

Highest  Respect

We would like to pay highest tribute to the medical personnel who are selflessly contributing to the prevention and control of the epidemic in Hong Kong and the rescue of  patients, as well as all the front-line personnel in nursing, cleaning, and transportation etc. who stick to their posts!

Salute from Members of  Grace Charity Foundation Ltd.

Later Development

Over the years spanning from 1994 to 2020, thanks to the generous support of individuals and organizations, our volunteers helped establish 1,461 schools in remote areas of Gansu, Guangxi, Sichuan, Ningxia, Henan, Yunnan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi and Guizhou provinces and Chiang Mai Thailand.

Starting from 1997, focus has been on Guizhou, China's poorest province, helping to establish schools and subsidizing financially struggling students. 

In order to work more effectively, Grace Charity Ltd. was founded by our volunteers in year 2000. (Tax Free File No. 91/6177)

Grace Charity Overview

Please refer to the Corporate Profile 2022 of Grace Charity by clicking below:

View Corporate Profile Article  or

Download Corporate Profile Slide Show

Why focus on Guizhou?

A study in 1996 found Guizhou to be especially stricken by poverty and few charities worked there. The educational programs in the mountainous areas were found to be outdated, children not attending school were many, and poverty was widespread. Our organization decided to concentrate our resources on improving the education for children in Guizhou.

After years of hard work, we continued to request for other organizations in Hong Kong to work in Guizhou. A portion of the education facilities were improved and some students who could not originally attend school are now able to. However, the environment in Guizhou is difficult to live in and the education of the poorer regions are still backward. Through us and other cooperating charities, three hundred new facilities were built in Guizhou. Yet the number of facilities needed in the province are still many. Hence, our organization has decided to focus on Guizhou for the time being.

 

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Our Structure

Posted in About Grace Charity

 A107

 

Directors:

Kan Yiu Kwong (Chairman), Yue Charm Ying Francis (Vice Chairman), Wong Mei Yee Brenda (Vice Chairman),

Tang Kin Kay Kenneth (Treasurer), Shi Min Ivy (Secretary), Ching Man Leung Terry, Chow Yik Cheung Eric,

Fung Wai Yin, Lau Pak Hun, Luk Mo Ping

Advisers:

Chan Bin Bin, Chan Kam Tim, Chan Tit Kwan, Cheng Paco, Chow Li Yian Lin, Chung Koon Wing, 

Chung Wah Sang, Ho Wai Wah, Hung Siu Tong, Kwok Fun Leung, Kwong Wan Tze, Lai Yuet Ying,

Lam Chiu Kau Frank, Lau Choi Kwan, Lee Kui Man, Lung Hoi Kee Thomas, Ng Siu Fong Joyce,

Ng Tak Cheong, Ngai Man Ling Grace, Shi Qi Quan, Sze Wan Sing James, To Yee Chong Zenny,

Tsui Hin Ching, Wong Hip Chong, Wong Kau Keung, Wong Yuk Chun Louisa, Wu Koon Kau,

Yip Shing Kit Alain, Zee Yea Sing

 Accounts

Tang Kin Kay Kenneth*, Chan Sung Kit, Hui Yun Heung Portia, Lau Wai Mei May, Ng Shun Yee Ophelia,

Ng Tak Cheong, Pau Lai Kuen

Computer & Information

Ching Man Leung Terry*, Ho Kwai Kam Jesse, Kan Ka Wai Johnny, Ngan Charles, Wu Yui Fai, Yip Shing Kit Alain

General Affairs

Fung Wai Yin*, Liu Bin Ben, Sin Ting Cheong

Public Relations

Yue Charm Ying Francis *, Lung Hoi Kee Thomas, Ngai Man Ling Grace, Shi Min Ivy, Wong Mei Yee Brenda

Secretariat

Shi Min Ivy*, Hui Yun Heung Portia (Registered Company Secretary), Cheung Yuet Ming Amanda,

Kan Mei Yin Kane,  Lau Choi Kwan, Luk Mo Ping, Tsui Yin Ching Flora, Wong Mei Yee Brenda, Yip Shing Kit Alain

 Building Support - Schools and Clinics

Kan Yiu Kwong*, Chiu Kam Kwai, Lau Wai Mei May, Ng Tak Cheong, Shi Min Ivy, To Yee Chong Zenny,

Wong Mei Yee Brenda, Wu Koon Kau, Yue Charm Ying Francis

 Student Aid Groups – Secondary, Vocational and Tertiary

Group A:  Sung Annie*, Au Mei Yee Ada, Soong Chan Sio Ping, Wan Hon Mei

Group B:  Lai Yuet Ying*, Yim Kwong Ho, Yip King Wan

Group C:  Hung Siu Tong*

Group D:  Yip Shing Kit Alain *, Chan Sung Kit, Cheung Kam To, Cheung Ngan Ying, Cheung Yuk Chun,

               Fung Sze Wan Shirley, Hung Sin Ying Becky, Lai Yuet Ying, Lau Choi Kwan, Lee Choi Lin, Liu Bin Ben,

               Mo Lai Kwan, Ng Siu Fong Joyce, Ngai Man Ling Grace, Poon Kwok Yuen, Tang Kin Kay Kenneth,

               Tong Kwong Yuen

Group E:  Ng Siu Fong Joyce *

Group F:  Wong Yuk Chun Louisa*

Group G:  Kwok Fun Leung*

Group H (Student Aid plus School/Clinic Building & Special Care):  Shi Min Ivy*, Yue Charm Ying Francis

Group J: Wong Hip Chong*, Lung Shun Wing, Sze Wan Sing James

Group K: Kwong Wan Tze*, Li Siu Ying Freda, Tam Oi King

Group L (Student Aid plus Special Care): Suspended

Group M (Student Aid plus School/Clinic Building):  To Yee Chong Zenny*

Group N (Student Aid plus School/Clinic Building & Special Care):  Wu Koon Kau*, Chiu Kam Kwai

Group P (Student Aid):  Liu Bin Ben*, Tang Kin Kay Kenneth

Group T (Teacher Education): Tang Wai Yee Sallie*, Cheung Ngan Ying Susanna, Sze Wan Sing James,

                                           Wong Hip Chong, Wong Mei Yee Brenda

Special Care (Elderly Care、Special Care、Orphans & Calamities Relief、Student Aid)

Wong Mei Yee Brenda*, Kwong Wan Tze, Lau Wai Mei May, Ngai Man Ling Grace, Shi Min Ivy,

Wong Yuk Chun Louisa

Library Books

Shi Min Ivy*, Ng Shun Yee Ophelia, Wong Nin Ping

Afforestation to control Desert

Tang Kin Kay Kenneth*, Liu Bin Ben

Serve Hong Kong

Kan Yiu Kwong *, Cheung Yick Chuen, Ching Man Leung Terry, Ng Shun Yee Ophelia, Shi Min Ivy,

Wong Mei Yee Brenda, Wong Yuk Chun Louisa

Honorary Legal Adviser:

Ip Shing Hing Simon,  J.P.

Auditor:

Chan & Kwok CPA Limited

 *Liaison

2024.02.23

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Our Work

Posted in About Grace Charity

 A106

Step 1: Find Project Sites

a. Volunteers visit locations proposed by the government, where they investigate the local resources and existing facilities.

b. The S1 Form is submitted to the government. This is an initial application towards establishing a school, which includes reasons for why a school must be built at a particular site, along with detailed reports of investigation, with photos.

c. The proposal may be recommended by other individuals or organisations.

Note: Schools that have collapsed, or are in imminent danger of collapse, have priority in obtaining funding for re-construction. This is because the students involved are attending lessons in temporary residential buildings.

Step 2: Search for Donors

a. Potential donors are introduce to the present surrounding of the proposed schools through reports, photos, or VCDs.

b. Suggestions are made to potential donors: proposed architectural design, amount of money required, and such like. Donors generally contribute 50 percent to 80 percent of the total amount required, depending on circumstances.

Step 3: Donor Confirmation

a. Donors confirm the amount that they will donate or the donated money has been received by our organization. 

b. The S2 Form for school construction is filled out and submitted to the aided school district to confirm the amount of donations and the scale of the construction project.

Step 4: Confirm School District

a. After receiving the S2 Form from the aided school district, our organization gives an intial confirmation of mutual consent, where the local government involved pays the remaining 20 to 50 percent to complete the project.

b. After agreement has been reached with the donors, our organisation sends the S3 Form to the School District, indicating procedural details of founding the school establishment.

Step 5: Founding Ceremony and Official Agreement

a. Donors are welcome to attend the Founding Ceremony in person. If they are unable to attend, volunteers of our organisation will act as their legal representatives.

b. Around the time of the Founding Ceremony, both paying parties sign the official agreement in the S4 Form, detailing the three stages in which the money is to be paid, as well as the legal obligations for inspection and management.

Step 6: The First Stage of Payment

a. The first payment is sent out to help build the assigned school. 

b. Our organisation will send out to the aided district both Form S5 and S6. S5 notifies of the first stage of payment and its exact amount. S6 is the official receipt of the said payment, which is filled in and signed by the district authorities and then mailed back to us.

Step 7: The Second Stage of Payment

a. We monitor the aided district through reports and photos, making sure that 60 percent of the school building has been constructed before sending out the second stage of payment.

b. We send out Forms S7 and S8 to the aided district. S7 notifies of the second stage of payment and its exact amount. S8 is the official receipt of the payment, which is filled in and signed by the district authorities and then mailed back to us.

Step 8: The Final Stage of Payment

a. After the construction is finished and we are notified through reports, the school's name is decided upon and the founders' names are inscribed upon a stele. Arrangements are then made for the donors to visit and inspect the new school building as well as attend the Establishment Ceremony. If the donor is satisfied with the current results, we move on to the last stage of payment.

b. Our organisation sends the S9 and S10 forms to the aided district. S9 notifies of the third and last stage of payment. S10 is the official receipt of the payment, which is filled in and signed by the district authorities and mailed back to us.

Step 9: Follow-up

a. Neither our organisation nor the donors will give any more payment to the established school, whatever difficulties it will have to face in running its routine schedule or any other expenses. Our organisation will only try our best to give financial aid to individual students or teachers in particular difficulties.

b. If individual donors so specify, our organisation will follow up on further construction projects in the said school, such as building sports areas, fencing walls, adding desks, and establishing library facilities.

c. In the winter of 2005, we established a special team for follow-up work on the schools. Their chief responsibility is to help improve the quality of teaching by collecting data on the teacher-student ratio, school facilities, library usage, etc.

Introduction - function of the School Tracking Group

The major task of the School Tracking Group is to provide sponsors with updates of a school after being in service for 2 years. This allows sponsors to have better understanding of the quality of education in rural areas and performance of the students. This helps sponsors monitor the safety and condition of the school and assess progress towards our program objectives.

The updates include timely information of the school, photos of the campus and potentially extra assistance needed for further improvement. Such assistance will be provided by the reserve fund1 of Grace Charity if further sponsor support cannot be obtained.  

The School Tracking Group allocates substantial amount of resources in the early days to establish work flows and systems for monitoring and evaluating the program. Program data and information are collected through survey from the schools on a regular basis. Each school is required to provide such information for our analysis and evaluation. 

The School Tracking Group was formed as suggested by Mr. Kan Yiu-kwong. This is in response to enquiries of sponsors who want updates on the schools they helped to build. This coincides with our intention to find out whether aid to students in primary and secondary schools would be needed.  Thus we need data on the general condition of the schools such as:

  1. Number of teachers
  2. Wages of teachers
  3. Number of students
  4. Performance of students
  5. Condition of the campus (approximately 10 photos provided by the school with cost covered by Grace Charity)

The original student-aid programs for primary and secondary schools were replaced by pursuits of the School Tracking Group in 2005 after the Central Government implemented "two-exemption one-subsidy" policy (to exempt textbook and miscellaneous fees and subsidize boarding cost) in rural areas. The Group gains tremendous support from volunteers and systems have been established to work effectively towards our goal.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in our work. You are very welcome to join us as volunteers!

e-mail address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

* The reserve fund comprises accrual bank interests and gain from RMB currency conversion.  $300,000 has been allocated for this school tracking program.

Work Flow of School Tracking Group

Tracking form A or B will be sent to the school address two years after completion of campus construction. Schools are required to return the form within 60 days.

School Survey Report (SF1) will be complied according to tracking form A or B for understanding overall condition of the school.

Identify strength, weaknesses and areas for improvement of the school after evaluating the survey and photos provided.

Request for further assistance will be considered based on guideline as follow:

 

Projects with Priority Assistance

  1. Libraries
  2. Desks and chairs
  3. Equipment for teachers
  4. Basic teaching equipment
  5. Cement playgrounds
  6. Water tanks and hygiene facilities

Other Projects

  1.  Subsidy for continued education for teachers
  2. Guideline for basic renovation of classrooms during summer

Our letter of intent will be sent to the school after confirmation of Mr. Wai-yin Fung. The school is required to reply before the deadlines. One-time payment will be made upon receipt of photos and report after completion for requests below RMB10,000. Assistance will be sent in two payments for request above RMB10,000.

Letter of undertaking will be sent to school to ensure payments will be made after completion.

Updates will be sent to sponsors including survey reports, tracking and performance measures and ongoing tasks along with latest information of Grace Charity. Tracking information will be sent again after another 2 years.

 

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