The third round of the “Belt and Road Medical Humanitarian Aid Educational Talk” was successfully conducted on October 25th at St. Paul's Co-educational College with the participation of nearly 200 teachers and students. During the event, a livestream was set up with our project site in Cambodia, allowing students to witness the local environment and work of the medical team in real time, gaining insights into the challenges faced when implementing humanitarian aid projects.

GX would like to thank St. Paul's Co-educational College for their cooperation, which ensured the smooth running of the event. In the future, GX will continue to organize similar talks in different schools to foster the interest of students towards medical humanitarian assistance and nurture a new generation of humanitarian aid workers.

CEO Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang shares memorable stories in the Thematic Forum on People-to-People Connectivity

The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing, where multiple thematic forums were organized. GX Foundation (“the Foundation”) was the only Hong Kong organization that spoke in the Thematic Forum on People-to-People Connectivity, and we are honored to have our work recognized and officially certified as a pragmatic achievement of the “Belt and Road” “People-to-People Connectivity” Initiative. CEO of GX Foundation, Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, shared her experience of conversing with an elderly woman a week ago in Mauritania, West Africa, in the Thematic Forum on People-to-People Connectivity. This served as an example of how the Foundation and Chinese medical teams practice people-to-people connectivity abroad.

Work recognized as pragmatic achievement of “People-to-People Connectivity” initiatives
Hong Kong plays significant role in contributing to people-to-people diplomacy
GX Foundation has fully launched the “Cataract Blindness Elimination Project” in 5 project countries, providing 2 to 5 years of free surgeries in Laos, Cambodia, Djibouti, Senegal and Mauritania. As of today, the Foundation has performed more than 5000 cases of surgeries across the 5 countries, earning official recognition as a pragmatic achievement of the “Belt and Road” “People-to-People Connectivity” Initiative. Moreover, the Foundation has been invited to share at a thematic forum alongside three other institutions. Leung Chun-ying, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC and Chairman of GX Foundation, expressed his delight at the high-level recognition of the Foundation's work. He believes that this achievement is the result of the collective efforts of the Foundation's colleagues, Board members, and Chinese medical teams, and he extends special thanks to all the donors for their support and trust. Chairman Leung added, "As our country moves towards and takes center stage on the world platform, Hong Kong has a significant role in people-to-people diplomacy. We should leverage the advantages of the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle to contribute Hong Kong's strength."

Female doctor provides cataract surgeries for women in Mauritania, breaking down gender conflicts
GX Foundation CEO Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang recently headed to Beijing after returning from 2 of the Foundation’s project countries in West Africa to attend the Thematic Forum on People-to-People Connectivity. Professor Chan said that the project site in Nouakchott in Mauritania is flooded with patients waiting for treatment every day. She shared a story of a 72-year-old elderly woman, saying, “This old woman went blind from treatable cataracts. Her poor economic conditions and religious beliefs limited her to receiving treatment only from female doctors. However, with the scarce number of female doctors capable of performing cataract surgeries in the local area, she was had barely any hope of regaining her sight. In order to address this local need, GX Foundation collaborated with the Heilongjiang provincial medical team and dispatched female doctors to Nouakchott to provide equal treatment opportunities for local women."
Professor Chan added that GX Foundation collaborates with partners of different levels, including medical teams, local ministries of health, multinational corporate engineers, embassies, global logistics pharmaceutical supply companies and volunteers that assist in patient recruitment. She mentioned that during the pandemic, the Foundation’s staff went to 3 partnering countries and donated a total of 60 tons of supplies in person. As of today in 2023, GX Foundation has successfully completed over 5,000 cases of surgeries.

She pointed out that all donations received by are private contributions, primarily used for implementing medical and public health projects in the overseas fields. She believes that this is a direct action in line with “people-to-people” connectivity and promoting friendship between Chinese and foreign people.

To celebrate World Sight Day on 12th October (tomorrow), the Foundation organized a “Belt and Road Medical Humanitarian Aid Educational Talk” at Lai Chack Middle School, with more than 400 secondary school students joining a livestream with the African team. It provided a valuable opportunity for students to see the environment and patients in Djibouti in real-time livestream, as well as engage in conversations with our stationed staff to gain insights into the challenges faced during the execution of humanitarian aid projects.

GX would like to thank the staff of Lai Chack Middle School for their assistance, which ensured the smooth running of the event. In the coming year, GX will continue to organize similar talks in different schools and communities across Hong Kong, raising the awareness and interest of young people and the general public towards medical humanitarian assistance and nurturing a new generation of humanitarian aid workers.

Celebrated every year on 19th August, the World Humanitarian Day intends to commemorate and honour humanitarians around the world. This year, the theme is #NoMatterWhat. As a non-profit charitable organisation specialises in international medical humanitarian aid established in Hong Kong, GX Foundation is committed to providing free surgeries for cataract patients in the five project countries. No matter who they are and where they come from, GX ventures deep to aid those in need.

In the meantime, the expansion work of GX Hong Kong office in Quarry Bay has been concluded. GX team held an office soft opening ceremony a few days ago to express our sincere gratitude to Board Members, Advisors and Partners for supporting GX achieve different milestones. The new additional spaces in Hong Kong office signifies the growth of GX family. GX team is excited about this new chapter that will enable us to contribute substantially to the “people-to-people” connectivity.

In preparation for the launch of Africa “Cataract Blindness Elimination Project” in the coming months in our three project countries, GX had sent multiple teams to Shanxi Province, Fujian Province and Heilongjiang Province to conduct working meetings with different provincial medical teams. 

Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Chairman of GX Foundation, and Prof. Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO of GX Foundation, visited Shanxi Province to meet with the Mr, Zhang Bo, Director of Shanxi Provincial Health Commission to facilitate the process of sending the 2nd cohort medical team to Djibouti. 

Ms. Caroline Dubois, Project Director (Africa), also led a team to Fujian Province and Heilongjiang Province to meet with the provincial medical teams to Senegal and Mauritania, finalising the details of launching the 1st cohort project.

As a leading humanitarian organization working along The Belt and Road countries in Hong Kong, GX is committed to building a profound local network and profile, aiming to strengthen the friendships between China and other countries as well as promote the “people-to-people” connectivity through GX flagship medical aid programmes.

Prior to joining GX Foundation at the beginning of this year as an overseas project officer, Sabira studied at Hebei Normal University with a major in International Chinese Education. She used to be an English tutor in Beijing before 2019

Lac Assal is in central Djibouti, where many low-income families are living. China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), a key field partner of GX, once arranged a private shuttle to transfer local eye patients to Djibouti City, the capital of Djibouti, for eye examination and cataract surgery.

 The 85-year-old lady was one of the patients who got on the shuttle at that time. Sabira explained it was her most memorable event with GX so far because “it was the first time for the lady to travel extensively to the capital for cataract surgery.” Sabira is glad that the lady could receive effective eye treatment and regain vision. She finds her job very meaningful that she can play a role in helping the old lady to restore sight.

She is thankful to GX for providing her with this valuable job opportunity. She stated that “this is a very rare and valuable opportunity for me. At GX, I can develop different skill sets and am grateful for everything I have learned here.”

Prior to joining GX, Awale had spent many years living and studying in Shanghai since 2010, that he became fluent in Mandarin with time. He majored in Chinese Language and Telecommunications Engineering at Tongji University and Donghua University respectively.

During an interview, Awale shared about his childhood dream of helping his home country to escape poverty, “Having spent many years studying abroad, I hope to apply my knowledge in helping my country. Everyday, we receive many patients at the clinic. We perform preoperative check-ups for them and arrange operations for those who are suitable for surgeries.”

He also mentioned that the patients, who received assistance from him, would say “thank you” to him every day. He believes that is the most amazing part of his job, representing the strong friendship between the Chinese and Djiboutians.

3 Djiboutian colleagues from East Africa, Charmarke, Awale and Sabria, visited colleagues stationed in the HK headquarters last week. Studied in China, the Djiboutian colleagues are fluent in Mandarin, English and French. During the media interviews, they shared stories of the people-to-people connectivity in Djibouti.

Nasrin, who was pregnant with twins, accompanied her father to undergo cataract surgery on her due day. The operation was completed with great success that the father was able to witness the birth of his twin grandsons. To express their gratitude to GX Foundation and the medical team, the two grandchildren were named after Charmarke and Abdillahi (Awale).

During their stay in Hong Kong, the Djiboutian colleagues received on-the-job training and took part in team-building events. They also had a great time sharing some Hong Kong street food with the HK team. In the coming week, they will travel to Laos and Cambodia for project inspection and connect with other local colleagues.

The team of Fujian Provincial Health Commission visited GX HK Headquarters today, and discussed with Dr. Ko Wing-man, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and Former HK Food and Health Bureau, Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO, Mr. Sida Liu, Project Director, Ms. Caroline Dubois, Assistant Project Director, and Mr. Meng Jun-ling, Project Manager; regarding the preparatory work of “The Cataract Blindness Elimination Project” in the West African country, Senegal.

The group also visited CUHK Faculty of Medicine in the morning and met with few professors to exchange views on the integrating development of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

In preparation for the arrival of the Fujian Medical Team, GX team is ramping up the preparatory work on procurement, translator recruitment and accommodation. GX expects to launch the project in Senegal during Fall 2023 to bring hope and brightness to local cataract patients.

Mr. Sun Shuo-peng, vice-president of the Red Cross Society of China, visited GX Hong Kong headquarters last week and exchanged views with Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Chairman of GX Foundation, Prof. Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO of GX Foundation, and GX colleagues. 

Meanwhile, the first aid training organised jointly by the GX Foundation and the Red Cross Society of China were concluded with success. All trainees had obtained the international first aid certificate successfully upon completion of all courses, training, and assessments.

GX Foundation is grateful for the continued support from the Red Cross Society of China, especially their strong support on GX Special Covid-19 Project during the pandemic. GX looks forward to working seamlessly with the Red Cross Society of China to provide high-quality humanitarian aid to the Belt and Road countries in the future.

On 12th July 2023, GX Foundation facilitated an exhaustive training course in collaboration with The Red Cross Society of China for the medical teams of 3 provinces and 1 autonomous region participating in “The Cataract Blindness Elimination Project” to obtain the international certificate of first aid qualification.

The exhaustive training course offered the first-ever opportunity for medical teams from different provinces to connect and exchange ideas. A total of 30 medical personnel, coming from Guangxi (aiding Laos and Cambodia), Fujian (aiding Senegal), Shanxi (aiding Djibouti), and Heilongjiang (aiding Mauritania) participated in the training. 6 GX Hong Kong colleagues also received first aid training in preparation for the upcoming humanitarian frontline aid work.

Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO , Mr. Sida Liu, Project Director, Ms. Caroline Dubois, Assistant Project Director, and the GX team recently met with Mr. Yang Min Hong, Director of the Health Commission of Fujian, in Hong Kong.

GX will accelerate the preparatory work of launching the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project in Senegal with the Fujian Medical Team in Senegal in the second half of the year.

Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Chairman of GX Foundation, and the GX team met with CPPCC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Health Commission, and medical team. Mr. Leung is grateful for the contribution from CPPCC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in GX Foundation’s “Cataract Blindness Elimination Project”. He encouraged members of the team to continue with providing excellent foreign humanitarian services to those in needs as China is moving towards the centre of the world stage.    

The third cohort of Guangxi medical team to Laos joined the meeting through a video conference and introduced their work virtually. Tiffany Sham and Tayyab Shahzada, two prospective doctors graduated from the CUHK Faculty of Medicine, and Kyle Hui, a fourth-year medical student at HKU, also joined the medical team to pursue humanitarian work in Laos.

Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO of GX Foundation, was delighted to witness the growth of Tiffany and Tayyab, both joined GX Foundation as student interns 4 years ago when GX was first established. She believed this unique experience of them participating in humanitarian work in Laos will inspire them throughout their future journey of practicing medicine. She hopes they could become good doctors, contributing to Hong Kong society and international humanitarian work. 

GX’s 12th Board Meeting was successfully held in Shanghai this morning. We would like to thank our Board Members for their active participation both online and offline, and their valuable opinions on GX’s future development. Special thanks to Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Company Ltd for providing the venue.

Two GX interns and Caroline Dubois, the Assistant Project Director of GX Foundation, were interviewed by Mainland and Hong Kong media, including China News Service and Hong Kong China News Agency.
They shared their experiences participating in humanitarian work in Laos and Cambodia and promoting “people-to-people” connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative. 

Chairman of GX Foundation, Mr. Leung Chun-ying, and CEO of GX Foundation, Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, recently met with the Djibouti Ambassador to China, Mr. Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil, who came to Hong Kong from Beijing. Held in the former Chief Executive's Office, the meeting was to share the progress and accomplishment of GX’s Cataract Blindness Elimination Project. So far, GX has completed 443 cases of free cataract surgery in the country and is preparing to send the next medical team to Djibouti in September to restart surgery.

The journalists went to Laos for covering the work of GX Foundation last month. Not only did they witness the operation process of one of the patients, an elderly woman, they also visited her home in the village to learn about her life of recovery after the operation.

Read China Daily's front page story for the touching tale of this patient and her family. Sharings from GX’s chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying, CEO Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, the medical team captain, and GX staff from Laos are also featured.

Thank you China Daily Hong Kong journalists for your devotion, and look forward to future videos that will present the work GX in more detail.

Related news: Light of hope

Grand ideas need to be implemented with actions. Five years ago, we planned to travel thousands of miles to respond to the call for “people to people” connectivity, bringing hopes to the people in need of the Belt and Road countries. To achieve our goals, people with kind hearts are the key to success. Passionate Hong Kong young people are the core members of GX Foundation while our youngest staff stationed in the project site is only 22 years old.  Their tender looks, kind faces and diligent work attitude are a testimony to the “people-to-people” connectivity.

GX Foundation would like to thank our Hong Kong and Mainland China donors, Chinese Ambassadors and all Chinese corporates for their genuine support as well as all Chinese medical teams for their dedicated efforts so that we are able to embody the spirit of "sharing" under the pandemic.

This is a story about "people" started five years ago. It is an ongoing story and we will strive for exccllence to live up the spirit of "sharing" and foster “people to people” connectivity along the Belt and Road countries.

As we entered Ramadan, GX had completed the 1st phase project in Djibouti, East Africa. The team had completed 443 free cataract surgeries within 16 working days. Meanwhile, GX team concurrently is pushing forward Senegal project lately, hoping to bring love and brightness from East Africa to West Africa without delay. Recently, Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO of the GX Foundation, led a team to Fuzhou, visited the Fujian Provincial Hospital and had a meeting with the National Health Commission of Fujian Province and local medical practitioners for project preparatory work. With over 40 years of experience in aiding Africa, Fujian Province is the pioneer in African aid work. They provided valuable input on GX project implementation during the meeting.

GX Foundation expects to launch its Senegal project by the end of year, providing free cataract surgeries in Fatick, the hometown of Macky Sall, President of Senegal. In coming 2 years, Fujian Province is expected to send medical teams from 4 hospitals to Fatick, to provide cataract surgeries free of charge for local populations to restore sight. Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO of the GX Foundation, is grateful for the support from Fujian Province and look forward to working hand-in-hand with the Fujian Provincial medical team to bring brightness to people of Senegal.

Celebrated on February 27th every year, the World NGO Day is an international day dedicated to recognize, and honour all non-governmental and non-profit organizations, and the people behind them that contribute to society all year around. In celebration of the World NGO Day 2023, the GX Foundation has organised an event during which the team members stationed in Djibouti had a virtual meeting with 29 students from 7 different secondary schools at our Hong Kong headquarters, sharing their first-hand experiences working on Cataract Blindness Elimination Project in Djibouti. The Guangxi medical team also made a virtual appearance to talk about their insights working in Laos and Cambodia. GX has also organised mini exhibitions, introducing to students the works of GX providing international medical and public health humanitarian assistance in the Belt and Road countries. Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), our working partner, also set up a booth to introduce their work. Lastly, participants wrote messages of encouragement and appreciation on a banner that will be brought to the Djibouti project site.

Professor Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO of the GX Foundation, is pleased to express her support for the event, as it would enable young people to recognize the works of the Foundation. “Through interacting with the team in Djibouti and the Guangxi medical team virtually, students would get to explore the behind-the-scenes of humanitarian services, recognising every facet of the project’s operation”, said Professor Chan. She looks forward to seeing more of the younger generation to take part in humanitarian work, regardless of their backgrounds and career choice, contributing to our country and the world on an international level.

Jasmine and Jane, from SPCS, said that the recent earthquake in Turkey has inspired their interests in humanitarian service. They learnt from the event that humanitarian service requires multidisciplinary cooperation between individuals from different fields, such as engineers, translators, administrative staff and the medical team.

Kelvin, from DBS, said the event made him realise that, “Humanitarian service is not just limited to helping countries or regions affected by natural disasters or conflicts. There are more basic health conditions such as cataracts, that have a massive impact on the quality of life of individuals in resource-deficit countries. Working on these could really transform their lives.”

Khan, a student of Yan Chai Hospital Lan Chi Pat Memorial Secondary School said, “I really enjoyed the virtual interaction with the staff in Djibouti as it offered real insights on how operation on the field is like.”

Danial from HKTA The Yuen Yuen Institute No. 3 Secondary School, found the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project “very inspirational”.

In support of the staff and medical team in Djibouti, Hadden from SPCC wanted to express his appreciation of what they are doing and asked them to “keep fighting”.

Licca, from DGS, would like to thank the team in Djibouti for “bringing light to visually-impaired patients”, expressing her heartfelt support for their works.

As a non-profit charitable Chinese organization established in Hong Kong, the GX Foundation has kickstarted on their Cataract Blindness Elimination Projects in Laos and Cambodia in September and December of 2022 respectively, amidst the global pandemic of COVID-19. Team members of the GX has also recently set off to Djibouti, to kickstart their Cataract Blindness Elimination Project in the country, aiming to provide transformative and impactful cataract surgeries for 6000 local patients. The project launch ceremony of the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project in Djibouti will be held on the 27th February 2023.

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GX Foundation is committed to provide international medical and public health humanitarian assistance in the Belt and Road countries. After successfully launching the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project in Laos and Cambodia in 2022, GX Foundation and the Health Commission of Heilongjiang Province entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in Harbin on 9th January 2023, signed by GX Foundation CEO, Prof. Emily Chan Ying-yang and Director of the Health Commission of Heilongjiang, Mr. Wei Xingang. Under the MOU, expert medical professionals from Heilongjiang will travel to Mauritania to provide approximately 3,000 quality cataract surgeries free of charge to local populations in 18 months, restoring the sight of those in need. The ceremony was witnessed by Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC and GX Foundation Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and Secretary of Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of the CPC, Mr. Xu Qin , as well as representatives of GX Foundation, the provincial government, and the Health Commission.

Mark a new era of the cooperation between Heilongjiang and HKSAR

In December 2022, GX Foundation signed a MOU with the Ministry of Health of Mauritania, marking the kick-off of the collaboration in eliminating the backlog of cataract cases in Nouakchott of Mauritania in the coming year. GX Foundation will send one Mobile Eye Treatment Centre (METC) to provide free surgeries to approximately 3,000 patients in the region. In delivering the opening speech of the MOU signing ceremony , Mr Leung Chun-ying said, “The Memorandum of Understanding signed today not only marks a new era of the cooperation between Heilongjiang and HKSAR in aiding Mauritania, but also signifies a new format of cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong.” On behalf of the GX Foundation, he also expressed his gratitude to the Heilongjiang Health Commission and the Provincial Government, the Provincial Political Consultative Conference, the Provincial Health Commission and other supporters for their profound support to GX Foundation. He believes that this collaboration can further promote the friendship between China and Africa. He also wishes to visit medical team in Mauritania again as soon as possible.

Medical assistance in Africa demonstrated the boundless love of Chinese people

China and Africa have a long history of exchange. As pointed out by President Xi, China and African countries are champions in adversity. Since China sent the first batch of medical aid teams to Africa in 1963, generations of Chinese medical personnel have made selfless dedication in Africa which manifested the spirit of boundless love of the Chinese people.

Sending off more than 800 medical specialists to Mauritania, Heilongjiang has been providing medical assistance to Mauritania since 1968. Visited the medical team of Heilongjiang in Mauritania three months ago, Mr Leung learnt their superb medical skills which have been unanimously recognised by the local government and people and realised their lofty dedication has contributed to the enduring friendship between China and Mauritania.

GX Foundation CEO Prof. Emily Chan Ying-yang and the representatives of the Health Commission of Heilongjiang Province visited medical professionals in the Heilongjiang Provincial Eye Hospital. “After the border reopening of Hong Kong and mainland China, our team immediately enters mainland China to coordinate with different parties to accelerate the project progress with an aim to help people in need to regain vision as soon as possible,” Professor Chan said.

Professor Emily Ying Yang Chan, CEO of GX, was invited by the Hong Kong United Foundation to speak at the 10th Anniversary Ceremony Forum on 13th December 2022. The Hong Kong United Foundation 10th Anniversary Ceremony Forum gathered talented leaders of the society to share their insights under the theme of "Building the road to modernisation in China" and discuss how to put it into action and practice. Professor Emily Chan shared GX’s work along the Belt and Road with GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying. Congratulations to Hong Kong United Foundation for the celebration of their 10th Anniversary!

Reporting:

Speakout HK

Speakout HK

Victor Chen Xin Yuan:  The internship at GX Foundation has taught me to be a flexible and versatile person.

Victor Chen Xin Yuan, a medical a third-year medical student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is a public health graduate and advocate. He has taken part in different volunteering activities in both Hong Kong and Mainland China, like conducted health checkups and health education for residents of elderly homes and elderly living alone. In China, he went to a remote area in Sichuan Province to provide education on health and disaster prevention knowledge for local ethnic minority groups. Victor said that his previous volunteering experience not only enriched his public health and medical knowledge but has also made him more enthusiastic about humanitarian assistance and public health.

Victor joined GX Foundation as an intern in October 2021 where was mainly responsible for producing and designing health promotion information and formulating standard guidelines of action. He has also participated in different activities of the Foundation as a volunteer, including distributing anti-epidemic materials to the elderly living alone and low-income families to help them overcome the difficulties of the epidemic. 

"The internship at GX Foundation has taught me to be a flexible and versatile person. Project teams in humanitarian assistance consist of people of different professions such as public health scholars and international relations experts, not just doctors and nurses. Working with a team of different professionals in a rapidly changing environment has benefited me a lot.”

Victor said that the Foundation offers good benefits to optimise staff’s mental performance. When one suffers from glucose “deficiency” from overworking, there are always snacks ranging from biscuits and sweets handy. On the other hand, an “overdose” of blood glucose caused by too big a lunch can also be soothed by a variety of coffee. One would never feel drowsy at work.

In addition to being a competent doctor, Victor wishes to focus his attention on public health and humanitarian assistance work, since he believes all human beings are born equal, and everyone’s lives has value.

Jessie Yeung Cheuk Sze: GX’s humanitarian work is very diverse, ranging from local elderly home visits to overseas vector-borne disease programs and cataract elimination programs.

Jessie Yeung, a third-year medical student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, has been actively participating in volunteer work since she was studying in high school. She joined an outreach program which entailed visiting the elderly in elderly homes to perform body checks and chat with them regarding their backgrounds, lifestyles and healthcare knowledge. 

After starting at CUHK, she became more interested in volunteering since it allowed her to apply what she have learnt into hands-on practical work that can help people in need. Thus, she took part in different programme such as eye care program that provides free eye care services to children. Jessie reached out GX proactively to seek an internship due to her passion for humanitarian work.

“Unlike other counterparts in general, GX’s humanitarian work is very diverse, ranging from local elderly home visits to overseas vector-borne disease programs and cataract elimination programs. The wide varieties of projects allow me to gain more insights into how humanitarian work of different natures have to be planned and implemented with expertise from various fields, which would be an important stepping stone for me to pursue my ambition in the humanitarian medicine field in future.”

Jessie would love to work in a field related to humanitarian assistance. “Humanitarian medicine allows me to utilise my learnings from medical schools that can directly benefit those in are in direst need of help, which would undoubtedly be fulfilling to see and achieve.”

To further GX’s international medical humanitarian efforts and solidify a collaborative relationship under GX’s Cataract Blindness Elimination Project, GX and the Health Commission of Fujian Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the 14 November, signed by GX CEO, Prof. Emily Ying Yang Chan and Director of the Health Commission, Mr. Yang Minhong. Under this programme, expert medical personnel from Fujian will travel to Fatick Region of Senegal to provide quality cataract surgical services free of charge to local populations, restoring the sight of those in need. The ceremony was witnessed by GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and the governor of China's Fujian Province, Mr Zhao Long as well as representatives of GX Foundation, the provincial government, and the Health Commission. Our Foundation hopes this project will successfully restore vision to the elderly people of Senegal!

Reporting:

Speakout

Kyle Hui: Humanitarian work is not about feeling good that we contributed, but standing in other people’s shoes and growing together.

Kyle Hui, a third-year medical student at the University of Hong Kong, is an enthusiastic volunteer. In high school, he organised STEM workshops for underprivileged children and helped construct an eco-bungalow in Laos to boost tourism. Joining a community service society in the medical school, he also took part in various of volunteering activities such as organising health checks and health education sessions for refugees and domestic workers, visiting the homeless and patients with dementia, as well as creating a documentary to raise awareness on organ donation. Kyle believes studying hard is just as important as reaching out to communities.

With an ever-growing desire to make a positive impact in people’s lives, he decided to volunteer for GX Foundation to better understand the medical needs of underprivileged families in Hong Kong. “From my previous social services experiences, I realised that humanitarian work is not about feeling good that we contributed, but standing in other people’s shoes and growing together.” 

“When I first stumbled upon the Cataract Blindness Elimination Program run by GX, I was drawn to it, particularly GX’s aim of cooperating with local health leaders and disseminating health education to under-resourced countries such as Cambodia, which match with my personal goals.” He appreciates the chances of being involved in planning and evaluation of projects. This provides him valuable opportunities to explore various possibilities of public health service delivery while putting his skillset into real life application.

In the future, he hopes to become a surgeon and participate in medical missions to under-resourced countries. “Realising how lucky we are in Hong Kong, I think it is only fair to share the medical knowledge and resources we have with communities beyond ourselves.” 

GX Foundation partnered with community service volunteers in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, to provide “Leave Home Safe” and smartphone teaching class. The classes were supported by our interns and volunteers, who taught them the basics of using smartphones, including installing “Leave Home Safe” app and other basic communications apps.

In August, the volunteers and interns distributed pandemic prevention packs to low-income families and elderly people in Kwun Tong. It was during this visit that our volunteers identified elderly people who did not know how to use smartphone, or did not have smartphones. In order to support the elderlies in need, GX Foundation sponsored smartphones and SIM cards to six elderly people as a follow-up of the visit.

One of the participants said it was the best birthday present for her.  Another was thrilled after reconnecting with her friends on the communication app. GX will continue to provide care and support as well as organise smartphone teaching classes for the elderly in need.

We acknowledge with appreciation the contribution by district partner for providing the venue and assistance.

Haylie Li Chutong:  Witnessing the colleagues of the Foundation travelling to different countries to offer help for people in need, I found that this kind of job is very meaningful and it is exactly what I am looking for.

Haylie Li Chutong is a student of East China University of Political Science and Law, majoring politics and public administration. In the past, she participated in local volunteer services and volunteer activities of planting trees and sand stabilisation in the desert of Ningxia.

Attracted by the working nature of providing humanitarian assistance overseas, Haylie joined GX Foundation as an intern hoping to learn more about the interesting and meaningful work, and project operation. This is her first exposure to an NGO providing services overseas.

During her internship, Haylie offered help in conducting research on the current health situation and population data of countries in Belt and Road Initiative. "As a political science student, this task not only enhanced my knowledge of public health, but also strengthened my understanding of international relations." By acquiring different knowledge and skills, Haylie has developed different capabilities.

Although Haylie does not have a concrete career planning, she is interested in working in a non-profit organization. “Witnessing the colleagues of the Foundation travelling to different countries to offer help for people in need, I found that this kind of job is very meaningful and it is exactly what I am looking for.” She hopes to have the opportunity to join the public health or humanitarian assistance industry in the future.

Andy Lai Chung Yin:  The internship of the GX Foundation brought me a brand-new experience, which provides new inspiration for myself.

Andy Lai Chung Yin, a Year 3 medical student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, joined The Foundation as a student intern in 2021 and returned to participate in the Hong Kong Community Outreach Programme that year and again in 2022. He provided assistance in organsing the Community Outreach Programme including drafting and designing promotion materials, sourcing and purchasing emergency kits. “The internship of the GX Foundation brought me a brand-new experience, which provides new inspiration for myself.”

During his internship, Andy endured different challenges, such as the turning complex knowledge into simple information pack for the public and sourcing suitable materials to meet the requirements and the needs of partner organisation under tight timeline. The internship provided him with a lot of opportunities to communicate and work with talents in different professional fields. He realised that the medical service provided by frontline medical professional and the back-end support team are equally important and indispensable.

"Learning to deal with different issues has given me invaluable experience. I will pay more attention to the details of activities and the communicating skills with different stakeholders in the future."

On the recent outreach visit, Andy visited an elderly couple. The old man, who was recovering from his ankle injury, is responsible for taking care his wife with dementia. In order to save money for covering the medical expenses of the old lady, they have to live frugally. They could not afford to fix the air-conditioner or buy a walking stick which made Andy feel very sad. “Once the old man saw the walking stick we brought him, his heartfelt appreciation was unforgettable for me. I deeply realised the greatest significance of this outreach service."

This visit triggered Andy to reflect on the problems of medical system in Hong Kong. He doubted if the treatment provided by public hospitals was really worse than that at the private hospital. Even if it was true, how could the medical professional give up on helping the needy due to their financial constraints?

Andy does not have answers for those questions but he will strive to be a specialist doctor to serve patients and the public in Hong Kong.  Apart from his daily work, he wishes to participate in different types of community or medical services, including local and overseas work, such as providing community clinics or participating in humanitarian assistance work. "Serving the local community is my major duty while I will explore possibilities to help people in need outside Hong Kong.”

Ellie Yau Yan Yu: GX’s mission in Hong Kong to equip the underprivileged with necessary resources and education is important because it greenlights the need for public health education.

Ellie, a secondary school student studying in UK, first joined GX Foundation as a student helper in the summer of 2021. She took part in the Community Outreach Programme in both 2021 and 2022, assisting in packing and distributing disaster supply bags as well as creating the posters and information sheets on public health.

Often we are overwhelmed by news of the humanitarian crises in other places which need desperate medical attention, and may overlook the huge number of the population in our own home of Hong Kong living in poverty who lack the means to take care of their health, especially under harsh conditions such as those imposed by COVID lockdown restrictions. 

Because of this, Ellie believes GX’s mission in Hong Kong to equip the underprivileged with necessary resources and education is important because it greenlights the need for public health education. In addition to distributing vital health supplies such as oximeters and face masks to the needy, it is paramount to teach them how to use these supplies during each and every visit.

On the very first day of her first outreach programme, Ellie reached the building of one of the households but could not find the apartment unit. After standing in the blistering sun in confusion for a few minutes, Ellie tried calling again—and the answer came cheerfully to her right. The elderly lady led her through a small alley to a nondescript gate on the side of the building and revealed that she, in fact, lived right underneath. 

Following the lady down to a cramped and very damp basement with a singular, blinking light illuminating the furniture and other amenities that were rendered unusable because they were accumulated into massive piles lining the walls, Ellie was shocked by the living environment of the lady.  After chatting to the lady and completing the health survey, she discovered the lady was 85 years old.

Ellies recognised this memory would not fade from her. She very grateful for the chance to interact with this lady and experience her bright, optimistic attitude. Ellie realised that more support for accessible housing is sorely needed for the elderly who struggle with mobility issues. She hope that leaving the items she could use day-to-day would ease the burdens of her.

Nicole Tung Wing Hei: My internship and volunteer involvement with GX highlighted the importance of “learning by doing” rather than purely learning from books.
Nicole Tung Wing Hei, a Year 3 medical student at The University of Hong Kong, is passionate about social services. She has participated in social services since a young age, taking part in volunteering activities with her local community centre, elderly home, and primary school. She was first connected to public health and humanitarian work and GX Foundation after taking part in a health project of ethnic minorities in 2018. Motivated to learn more about this discipline, she worked at the GX office as an intern in the summer of 2021 and returned to be a volunteer of Community Outreach Programme this year.
During her time at GX, she assisted in the planning of the inaugural Community Outreach Programme, with a particular focus on assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the overall wellbeing of the elderly population in Hong Kong, as well as their knowledge and attitudes towards disaster management.

Since the resumption of in-person classes in the last school year, confirmed Covid-19 cases reported by schools have continued to rise. With the new school year approaching, GX Foundation launches the “Covid-19 Recovery Support Scheme” with an aim to subsidise kindergartens, primary and secondary schools to assist families of the underprivileged students to purchase Covid-19 recovery packages. This includes but is not limited to food, supplements and medications, providing one-week necessities and relief supplies for families of underprivileged students under quarantine or isolation on 30 August 2022. The maximum subsidy for a 2-4 person family is $800, while the upper limit of the subsidy per family is $1200, depending on the number of family members. Interested schools must submit their applications online before applying for the subsidy on behalf of their students. GX Foundation will cover the actual expenses incurred on a reimbursement basis. During the first stage, the quota for the scheme is 500 families on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Meanwhile, GX Foundation will also donate RAT kits to schools for fulfilling the Government RAT’s requirement.

Application link:https://forms.gle/UwBVL19Cr5MAeZ5V8

Reporting:

HKCD

Metroradio

Topick

Etnet

Sina

Orangenews

HKTKWW

HK01

Nicky Chow Hau Yung: Health should be a universal right for everyone while a future healthcare provider should care for the well-being of all global citizens.

Nicky Chow Hau Yung, a Year 3 medical student of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and has planned to devote herself to the healthcare industry when she was young. She hopes to enable those people suffering from illness and diseases to have a chance to enjoy their life and experience the beauty of this world. Witnessing the overloaded healthcare system in Hong Kong, she wants to be one of the healthcare worker who safeguards the health of the public.

Nicky joined GX as an intern from July to August 2022 for a 6-week internship. During the internship, she helped organise and participate in the Hong Kong Community Outreach Programme. Nicky recognises that health should be a universal right for everyone while a future healthcare provider should care for the well-being of all global citizens. This internship at GX Foundation has provided her with a valuable experience to witness how a humanitarian project can be implemented. It has also enhanced her knowledge on the healthcare conditions in other countries such as Cambodia and Laos.

During the community visit, Nicky found that the elderly were very eager to share their stories and enjoyed talking with the volunteers, and hope more visits can be arranged during the pandemic. She realised that the elderly really need our care and knowledge, especially on evolving technologies such as using their smart phone.

Through participating in different social services, she not only has an opportunity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds, but she has also enhanced her communication skills and understandings towards society. More importantly, this can develop her sense of empathy which is conducive to her developing career. In the future, she will consider working in public health and humanitarian assistance field after having a fruitful and interesting experience in GX.

Jacky Ma Dahao: I am eager to experience social services work which is totally different from my previous work in the financial industry with a “return and risk’ mindset

Jacky Ma Dahao is a postgraduate student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, majoring in Financial Mathematics. Eager to experience something different from his previous work in the financial industry with a “return and risk’ mindset, Jacky found GX’s missions of providing international medical and public health humanitarian assistance in the Belt and Road countries and leverages international experiences was very appealing to him. Hence, he joined GX as a summer intern in 2022.

This is his first time working with statistics on people's livelihoods and health in other countries, and has broadened his horizons beyond China to developing countries which he would not learn from his textbooks in the past 10 years. He realised that developing countries are not as backward as we perceived, although there are many significant issues. By studying the updated data and the development of the countries in more comprehensive perspective, GX can build informed, suitable programmes that foster mutual benefit and win-win outcomes for the people of the countries along the routes of The Belt and Road Initiative.

Jacky appreciates the pleasant and harmonious working atmosphere at the office and he is thankful to have friendly and caring colleagues during his internship. He is also impressed by the ‘pioneering’ spirit and ‘people to people’ connectivity at the GX Foundation. In the future, Jacky says he may not pursue his career in public health or humanitarian assistance, but this internship experience will shape his future career planning and entrepreneurial planning to include the value of humanism, empathy, and social care.

GX partnered with Tsui Ping (South) Estate, Kwun Tong and Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) to distribute epidemic prevention packs to elderly people living in Tsui Ping (South) Estate, Kwun Tong on 18th  August 2022. The packs are intended to support household safety during the ongoing pandemic in Hong Kong, particularly for elderly people. The packs include oximeters, COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, face shields, gloves, tissues, towels, walking stick, and a set of information set about infection prevention and house-based medical devices. Staff and volunteers from GX Foundation and CCOUC visited 53 households to demonstrate use of the packs and conduct general health assessment. and universities and high schools in Hong Kong and overseas participated in this activity. demonstrated the use of RAT and oximeters which will enable caregivers to provide home-based monitoring of elderly people and COVID-19 patients, to strengthen the independence and effectiveness of home-based care. The groups also conducted surveys regarding their health and living conditions under COVID-19.

GX partnered with Lok Wah Estate and Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) to distribute pandemic prevention packs to low-income families and elderly people living in Lok Wah Estate, Kwun Tong on 4-5th August 2022. The packs included cleaning supplies, and home-use medical equipment to enable households to monitor their own health and wellbeing under COVID-19. Together, GX and CCOUC visited 169 households to care for the community. In each household, volunteers offered conversation with the needy, as well as basic wellbeing assessment.

GX partnered with the resident community of Hong Lok District Kwun Tong and Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) to distribute epidemic prevention packs to low-income families and elderly people living in Hong Lok district on 3rd August 2022. The packs will hopefully support the community though the ongoing pandemic. Packs include oximeters, facemasks, COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, vitamin C and household cleaning supplies, and a walking stick for older people, and Home Quarantine Care Guidelines against COVID-19 in high-density urban contexts. Staff and volunteers from GX Foundation, CCOUC and Hong Kong universities and high schools demonstrated the use of oximeter and RATs to elderly people. This will enable home-based monitoring of overall health. The groups also conducted surveys to assess overall health and living conditions under COVID-19.

The 10th GX Board Meeting was held on 22nd June 2022 in Hong Kong. In addition to reviewing its 2022 local and global activities, administrative and financial updates, the board also discussed the planning and launch schedule for the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project across 4 countries, in the face of ongoing pandemic restrictions in many parts of the world. GX is grateful for the opportunity to safely meet with the board members both face-to-face and online under COVID-19.

GX Foundation was pleased to partner with Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) for local humanitarian medicine training for students and distribution of home quarantine care materials in the community on a remote island. The programme is also supported by the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation and the Hong Kong Yacht and Start-up Association's. Volunteers and students sailed to Cheung Chau Island to distribute 100 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, oximeters, surgical gloves, surgical gowns, face shields, and Home Quarantine Care Guidelines for COVID-19,  in order to strengthen the independence and effectiveness of home-based care of the elderlies in the remote communities.

GX looks forward to continuing a meaningful partnership with Hong Kong-based organisations.

Reporting:

Topick HKet

DotDotNews

Headline Daily

HK01

Wenweipo

Yahoo! News

Bastillepost

Hong Kong China News Agency

Speakout

To continue strengthening health resilience-building efforts in the community, throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, GX Foundation has launched a second phase of pulse oximeters distribution throughout the Hong Kong community. GX partnered with the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) to distribute pulse oximeters to 20 organizations in total across the city. This will enable caregivers to provide home-based monitoring of elderly people and COVID-19 patients, to strengthen the independence and effectiveness of home-based care, and alleviate burden on hospitals during difficult times.

The Oximeter User Guidelines is available here:

Cantonese

As part of its COVID-19 emergency anti-pandemic programme, GX has distributed over 9,000 pulse oximeters to 12 organizations across the city. Experts at our foundation have conducted training on the proper usage of pulse oximeters at home, to empower the city's residents with the capacity and knowledge to provide home-based care for COVID-positive patients, particularly vulnerable elderly people.

Pulse oximeters are portable, re-usable devices that can monitor the blood oxygen level in COVID-infected patients. Encouraging its use at home can reduce unnecessary hospitalisation, while indicating whether professional care is required.

To address health protection needs during Hong Kong's largest wave of COVID-19, GX is facilitating the donation of personal protective equipment to our partners who are serving the community every day. Many of our partners are still providing face-to-face services to elderlies and low-income families everyday, putting themselves at risk of infection. GX hopes that rapid test kits, face shields, protective gowns, and our series of Home Quarantine Care posters can protect these health and social work professionals around the city.

With continued virus circulation in the community and difficulties in health system capacity, the Hong Kong community is suffering from a shortage of personal protective equipment to support home quarantine care. GX foundation aims to strengthen health resilience-building efforts in the community, and to bridge transition needs in the government's anti-pandemic efforts. 

In partnership with the Hong Kong Coalition, GX has procured140,000 adult face shields, 70,000 child face shields, and 70,000 surgical gowns. These will be distributed across the at-risk Hong Kong community. GX will also continue working on circulating information to build capacity for infection prevention.

To continue building community health knowledge and awareness throughout the ongoing, evolving COVID-19 pandemic, GX Foundation has published this "8 Facts About COVID" poster series to share information about post-COVID syndrome, viral variants, vaccination, and more. The facts are based on most recently available expert research, presented in an understandable way to enable communities to better protect and prepare themselves against COVID-19.

It is a follow-up to the "8 Facts About COVID Poster" series developed in 2020 as part of the GX COVID-19 Community Health Knowledge series.

The poster is available for download here: 

English

Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese

French

Bahasa Indonesia

Hindi(coming soon)

Nepali(coming soon)

Punjabi(coming soon)

Tagalog(coming soon)

To empower bottom-up capacity-building to care for suspected or mild COVID-19 patients at home, GX has published several home quarantine guidelines. This February 2022 guideline is targeted for multi-cultural, high-density, urbanised, Asian contexts such as Hong Kong.

This particular guideline is tailored for interim arrangement for living arrangements, caregiver protection, cleaning instructions and when to seek medical care, which are in line with current recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Hong Kong government.

It is a follow-up to the "8 Facts About Covid Poster series" developed in 2020 as part of the GX COVID-19 Community Health Knowledge series, which will be updated in 2022 to include facts about variants, vaccination and post-COVID syndrome.

The Home Quarantine Care Guidelines for COVID-19 are available for download here:

English

Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese(coming soon)

Bahasa Indonesia

French(coming soon)

Hindi

Nepali

Punjabi

Tagalog

Urdu

These guidelines are available in video format (Credit to: Gagy Creative and Tech): 

English 

Cantonese

For hard copies and enquiries, please feel free to contact us (info@gxfoundation.hk).

This poster was developed with the help of the Community Health Education Technical Advisory Team:

• Scientific Technical team of the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC)

• Professor Emily Ying Yang Chan, MBBS (HK), BSc in Biomedical Engineering (Johns Hopkins), SM PIH (Harvard), MD (CUHK), DFM (HKCFP), FFPH, FHKAM (Community Medicine), FHKCCM

• Professor Gabriel M Leung, GBS, MD W Ont, MPH Harv, MD HK, FHKCCM, FHKAM (Community Medicine), FCFP, FRCP Lond Edin, Hon FHKCFP, Hon FFPH, JP

• Professor Samuel YS Wong, MD (U. of Toronto), MD (CUHK), MPH (Johns Hopkins), CCFP, FRACGP, FHKCCM,
FFPH (UK), FCFP, FHKAM (Community Medicine), FHKAM (Family Medicine)

• Professor Kevin KC Hung, MBChB, MPH, EMDM, MRCSEd, FHKCEM, FHKAM (Emergency Medicine)

• Professor Kwok Kin-on, BSc (CUHK), MPhil (CUHK), PhD (HKU)

• Professor Jean H Kim, AB (UC Berkeley), Magister Scientiae, Doctor Scientiae (Harvard University) 

• Professor Shelly LA Tse, BMed (Fudan), PhD (CUHK), PgD Dip. Occ. Hyg.(CUHK), ICOH (member), FHKIOEH (fellow)

• Professor Colin A Graham, MBChB, MPH, MD, FRCPEd, FRCSEd, FRCSGlasg, FIMCRCSEd, FRCEM, FHKCEM, FHKAM(EM), FCCP, FESEM(Hon), FIFEM

GX foundation visited alternate director, Mindray’s Public Relations director Mr. Mao Weiming. Mindray is one of the leading companies in high-end medical equipment production, providing technology and healthcare solution to healthcare industry. Mindray has supported GX in programme-related equipment procurement. We sincerely thank Mindray for the hospitality, and look forward to more partnership opportunities.

GX foundation had the privilege to visit Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation in Shenzhen. Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation is the main donor of our project in Djibouti, which will be supported by medical teams from Shanxi. As Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation has accumulated a wrath of experience working in mainland China, and is a valuable source of knowledge to GX. Thank you Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation for their warm welcome to the GX team!

GX working team visited Shanxi Eye Hospital and conducted working-level meeting with Shanxi medical teams, hospital management staff and representatives from Shanxi Health Commission. The Province will be supporting the GX project to Djibouti, in deploying expert medical personnel to eliminate the backlog of cataract cases in the country. Medical teams from Guangxi were present to share their previous experience working in cataract blindness in Cambodia.

Through the provision of much-needed eye-care to communities across the country, improving the health and livelihood of elderly people, GX aims to uphold the value of “people to people connectivity” under the Belt and Road Initiative for International Cooperation.

GX held a press conference in Taiyuan, Shanxi on 10th December 2021 following the MOU ceremony with the Shanxi Health Commission regarding providing specialist medical teams to Djibouti. The event was attended by representatives of the Chinese press and online media. GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and GX CEO, Prof. Emily Ying Yang Chan shared the latest updates on the GX Cataract Blindness Elimination Project, the situation of the project in Djibouti, and the intended collaboration with the Shanxi medical team in the next 3 or more years. GX is committed to providing continued humanitarian medical support to partner countries, to uphold the value of “people to people connectivity” under the Belt and Road Initiative for International Cooperation.

GX visited China Sinopharm International Corporation in Beijing. The Chairman of Sinopharm, Mr. Liu Jingzhen, GX board member, Mr. Fu Qiang, and Ms. Shi Shengyi were present to sit down with GX and talk about recent projects and mutual areas of work. Sinopharm has been a key global player in the provision of anti-pandemic equipment and vaccines. The GX emergency anti-pandemic donation to Laos and Cambodia in June and July of 2021 were successful with the help of counterparts at Sinopharm, and GX looks forward to continuing this fruitful partnership on projects involving medical equipment, vaccines, and other areas. Sinopharm also kindly hosted the 9th GX Board Meeting in Beijing. We sincerely thank Sinopharm for their warm welcome!

Reporting:

China Sinopharm International Corperation

Hosted by GX board member, China Sinopharm International Corporation, the 9th GX Board Meeting was held on 9th December 2021 in Beijing, China. In addition to reviewing its 2021 global activities, the group discussed the significant progress made in the preparation for the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project across 4 countries, particularly under the challenging context posed by COVID-19. GX is grateful for the opportunity to safely meet with the board members face to face under the global pandemic, with thanks to Sinopharm for kindly hosting the successful event.

To further GX’s international medical humanitarian efforts and solidify a collaborative relationship under GX’s Cataract Blindness Elimination Project, GX and the Health Commission of Shanxi Province entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in Taiyuan on 10th December 2021, signed by GX CEO, Prof. Emily Ying Yang Chan and Director of the Health Commission, Mr. Wu Jin. Under this programme, expert medical personnel from Shanxi will travel to Djibouti to provide quality cataract surgical services free of charge to local populations, restoring the sight of those in need. The ceremony was witnessed by GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and the Chairman of the Shanxi Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Li Jia, as well as representatives of GX Foundation, the provincial government, and the Health Commission. The event was also supported by Shanxi medical teams and the Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness.

Reporting:

山西日報

Hong Kong Commercial Daily

People's Daily

GX Foundation was glad to visit board member, Mr. Wang Jun Feng, Global Chairman of King & Wood Mallesons, and team at their Beijing office. We will be working on exploring opportunities for collaboration, such as providing legal advice on intellectual property and satellite office set-up. Thank you, Mr. Wang for his generous welcome of the GX team!

GX Foundation was delighted to visit the headquarters of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) and GX board member, Mr. Sun Shuopeng in Beijing. The RCSC has been a valuable technical partner to GX, providing first-aid and CPR training to medical teams before their overseas deployment. This training is an integral part of the GX project structure and is crucial for the safety and protection of all patients and staff involved in the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project. The first RCSC training was held in June 2021 in Nanning, Guangxi, where 30 medical personnel were awarded internationally-recognised certificates. We will continue to roll out trainings in other GX partner provinces throughout 2022. GX and the RCSC will continue to collaborate on different aspects of community education, professional capacity building, and humanitarian project development.

GX met the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products and GX board member, Mr. Zhou Hui in Beijing. The Chamber was a crucial partner for our donation of anti-pandemic relief materials to Laos and Cambodia in June and July 2021, helping GX identify and procure 40 tonnes of medical equipment to help our project countries in the fight against COVID-19, including patient monitors, ventilators, and PPE. GX will continue to work with the Chamber and their experts on reinforcing the Foundation's medical equipment procurement protocols, exploring future relief donation projects, and strengthening the relationship with this sector.

The GX team visited Fudan University School of Public Health to share our global activities and discuss opportunities for internships, exchange, and academic placements. GX is always looking to recruit passionate students from a variety of disciplines who are interested in humanitarian global health along the Belt and Road Region.

GX Foundation and the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China (HKCCC) co-hosted an event in Beijing today for the benefit of exchanging in-depth ideas on future collaborations. HKCCC representatives across a range of sectors, including medical technology, media, youth engagement, and banking, joined the discussion to listen to the work of GX and share ideas for development and partnerships.

HKCCC has been established since 1993, with members with extensive resources all over Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR. In recent years, they have prioritised and participated in the development plan of the Belt and Road Initiative for International Collaboration. GX is looking forward to working with HKCCC to expand its presence across China, particularly in knowledge sharing, accessing the newest technologies, and fostering young talent who are interested in global development and humanitarian health. GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun Ying attended the event online from Hong Kong and shared introductory remarks about the Foundation and its Cataract Blindness Elimination Project. HKCCC Chairperson, Ms. Amy Siu also joined in the fruitful discussion, along with delegates from Beijing, Sichuan, Guangxi, Liaoning, and Fujian, both in person and online. Thank you, HKCCC for the kind welcome to Beijing!

Hong Kong Commercial Daily

People's Daily Online

Sohu

GX Foundation was delighted to visit board member, Mr. Eric Li, Chairman of Chengwei Capital at Chengwei offices in Shanghai. Thank you to Mr. Li for his generous welcome of the GX team!

Led by GX Foundation Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun Ying, GX met with the Co-chairman of Fosun Limited, Mr. Wang Qun Bin, GX board member and President of Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Limited, Mr. Wu Yi Fang, and other Fosun representatives. Both organisations shared about their recent global projects and medical and humanitarian activities.

GX looks forward to continuing this meaningful partnership with Fosun.

GX was delighted to meet with Mr. Hon Bing Wah and his team in Shanghai today to finally formalise the Copyright process for the GX logo.

Thank you to Mr. Hon for his creative contribution to the design of the striking and recognisable red and yellow GX logo, and METC!

GX was pleased to meet with leaders and representatives of various businesses, alumni associations, and other organisations in Shanghai. GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and GX CEO, Prof. Emily Ying Yang Chan shared about GX overseas initiatives and medical humanitarian activities, and discussed opportunities for collaboration. We sincerely thank the Hong Kong associations in Shanghai for their hospitality and look forward to engaging with partners in Shanghai in the coming years.

Professor Emily Ying Yang Chan, CEO of GX, was invited by the Hong Kong Federation of Women to speak at the Women Power Forum on 23rd October 2021. The Women Power Forum is an international forum created in China focusing on women power to establish a global platform where leaders from different sectors come together to facilitate women empowerment through social innovation, idea sharing, and opportunities for positive change via international exchange and cooperation, thereby creating a constructive platform where women’s voices are heard and heeded. Professor Emily Chan shared GX’s work along the Belt and Road in a session of “Chinese NGOs going out” with GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and Ms. Pamela Ku Fan, CEO of our sister organisations, the Bay Area Hong Kong Centre and Belt and Road Hong Kong Centre.

GX was pleased to be invited to @HKUMed Enrichment Year NGO Roadshow, to meet with students and talk about our global health activities and research projects. Our Cataract Blindness Elimination Project Along the Belt and Road Region is an EY module on Service and Humanitarian Work. Students who are interested in global health and humanitarian work are invited to apply to gain hands-on experience with GX.

Congratulations to The Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness (AFPB) for the celebration of their 40th Anniversary! AFPB provides cataract surgery, capacity building, and blindness awareness projects across China and in South East Asia. GX is proud to collaborate with technical partner, AFPB on our global Cataract Blindness Elimination Project. For more information about AFPB and their charitable work, please visit The Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness.

GX has donated facemasks to the Sisters of the Precious Blood in Fanling to support the organisation in providing protection for their community to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This donation hopes to benefit elderlies living under the care of the Sisters of the Precious Blood, as well as children aged 18 and under living in the Precious Blood Children's Village, which serves as a refuge for young girls in need. For more information, please visit Precious Blood Children's Village.

GX celebrated the first anniversary of the official opening of its Hong Kong headquarters on 20th August 2021. On the day of the event, GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying presented Certificates of Acknowledgement to nineteen interns and student helpers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka-shing Faculty of Medicine, and City University of Hong Kong, and other institutions, to thank them for their important contributions to GX between 2020 and 2021. In the past two years, GX interns have developed online training programmes, published internally peer-reviewed papers, designed PR materials, supported international education webinars, participated in community health outreach projects, among other areas of work. GX is always looking for motivated people with an interest in global and humanitarian public health. For application to the internship programme and other enquiries, please feel free to contact us (info@gxfoundation.hk).

GX partnered with the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Western District Elderly Community Centre, the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), and the CUHK Centre for Global Health for a community health outreach and mask distribution project. Staff, students, and volunteers from GX Foundation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka-shing Faculty of Medicine, and other volunteers visited the homes of elderly people living in Western District from 11-13 August 2021. They performed a medical check-up for the elderly, including measurement of blood pressure, height, and weight.  The groups also conducted surveys regarding household safety, public health awareness, and disaster preparedness. In line with GX's strategic programmatic area of Health-Emergency Disaster Risk Management, disaster bags were distributed to each household to improve their awareness of disaster risk and preparedness. The bags included facemasks, hand sanitiser, band-aids, soap, a magnifying glass, a flashlight, healthy nutrition recipes, and a personal medical record card. To learn more about the work of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, please visit Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui.

GX Foundation was pleased to partner with the Hong Kong Yacht and Start-up Association's "Manggongzhu Blessed Voyage Series: Community Care Programme by Hong Kong Students" and donate masks, information leaflets on healthy eating, and healthy recipes cards for elderly people. A group of Hong Kong students raised funds for this project and bought necessities such as rice, biscuits, and canned foods, which were distributed to elderly people living in typhoon shelters in Causeway Bay, Shau Kei Wan, and Kwun Tong Public Pier. The Manggongzhu yacht can accommodate over 30 people and is a social enterprise project that provides a platform for rehabilitated offenders, the underprivileged, single-parent families, foreign domestic helpers, and students to learn and serve the community through different activities, including outreach, education, and sailing. For more information about the Hong Kong Yacht and Start-up Association and their charitable work, please visit Hong Kong Yacht and Start-up Association for community outreach.

GX Foundation launched its first-aid training programme for Chinese medical teams prior to their field deployment for the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project. Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Chairman of GX Foundation; Mr. Ren Hao, Director of the Liaison Department of the Red Cross Society of China; Mr. Liao Pinhu, Director of the Guangxi Health Commission; and Mr. Feng Guoping, Vice President of the Guangxi Red Cross Society of China participated in the opening session held on 24th June 2021 in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

“GX Foundation was established to manifest the ‘sharing’ spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative for International Cooperation and to further encourage people-to-people connectivity, contributing to the shared future of mankind. Chinese medical teams not only need to conduct cataract surgeries for patients, but they also need to ensure their own safety while abroad. As a result, GX Foundation has arranged a first-aid training programme for Chinese medical teams to strengthen their emergency life-saving skills,” said GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying. He also expressed his gratitude to the Red Cross Society of China and the Guangxi branch for their generous support and facilitation.

The two-day training helped equip 30 medical personnel from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with practical first-aid skills for their deployment to Lao PDR and Cambodia. Participants were awarded an internationally-recognised certificate upon completion of the course.

GX is proud to congratulate student intern, Sham Sze Tung Tiffany, who was awarded the Innovation and Technology Scholarship 2021, which provides recognition to outstanding undergraduates in universities in Hong Kong, as well as opportunities to widen their international and Mainland exposure, so as to nurture their passion and commitment towards science and technology. 

Tiffany is currently in her fifth year of CUHK Medicine (Global Physician-Leadership Stream). This scholarship will support Tiffany’s interest in global health through opportunities for continuous education in international humanitarian medicine, such as gaining experiential training in field-based clinical programmes, exploring the health and cultural aspects of ethnic minorities in Mainland China, as well as participating in tropical medicine and global health research at Oxford University.

During her time at GX, Tiffany published two research articles in international peer-reviewed journals on various aspects of Health-Emergency and Disaster Management, developed international-standard clinical protocols for conducting cataract surgery on board Mobile Eye Treatment Centres in resource-poor settings, and developed health promotion materials against vector-borne diseases. 

GX wishes Tiffany all the best in her endeavours.

Reporting:

Innovation and Technology Scholarship Award Presentation Ceremony 2020 and 2021

To further GX’s international medical humanitarian efforts and solidify a collaborative relationship under GX’s Cataract Blindness Elimination Project, GX and the Health Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in Nanning on 22nd March 2021, signed by GX CEO, Prof. Emily Ying Yang Chan and Director of the Health Commission, Mr. Liao Pinhu. Under this programme, expert medical personnel from Guangxi will travel to Cambodia and Lao PDR to provide quality cataract surgical services free of charge to local populations, restoring the sight of those in need. The ceremony was witnessed by GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and Chairman of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr. Lan Tianli, as well as representatives of GX Foundation, the Autonomous Region government, and the Health Commission. The event was also supported by Guangxi medical teams, the Asian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness, and the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Guangxi. 

Reporting:

People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

湖南省衛生健康委員會

China Daily

People's Daily Online

Hong Kong Commercial Daily

Khmer Times

健康八桂

Expanding its global health community knowledge programme into 2021, GX partnered with the Shangri-La Group to organise Chinese and an English webinar events for Shangri-La staff worldwide on the situation of COVID-19. The sessions focused on personal and community protection, but also discussed latest research, evidence and recommended actions that are specifically tailored towards COVID-19 protection within the hospitality and service industries.

The bilingual train-the-trainer webinars were attended live by over 400 staff and redistributed to thousands more across many countries, including China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In 2021, GX hopes to continue expanding its global health community knowledge programme across different industries and agencies worldwide.

As part of its global 2020 Health-Emergency Disaster Risk Management technical capacity building programme, GX held a global health community knowledge webinar event on 29th December 2020 with Fashion Focus Manufacturing (China) Ltd. 

The latest updates on COVID-19 infection control and disease prevention were shared with the company employees. The Q&A session also discussed aspects of health protection within shared living spaces, and the treatment and management of COVID-19 in South East Asia. This train-the-trainer programme was attended by more than 150 regional management and operation representatives and related knowledge was disseminated to more than 6,000 employees across Hong Kong, China, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

In partnership with the Hong Kong Business Association of Cambodia, GX co-hosted a global health community knowledge webinar event on 29th December 2020, which was attended by Cambodian business leaders and representatives from pharmaceutical, property development, manufacturing, hospitality, and other industries. This train-the trainer programme, sharing the latest information on scientific and medical advancements related to COVID 19, was disseminated to over 9,300 employees, staff, and partners of these companies.

During the online seminar, GX invited public health experts to provide updates on the COVID-19 global situation status, infection control, and disease prevention and management. The Q&A session also discussed COVID-19 vaccines, emerging COVID-19 strains, as well as psychosocial health and wellbeing. This was part of GX’s 2020 Global Health Community Knowledge Programme series, one of the Foundation's main global missions and operations, which aims to enhance technical capacity within the WHO Health-Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework (Health-EDRM) for countries along the Belt and Road region.

In collaboration with China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC), GX held its first global health community knowledge webinar event on 10th December 2020. This train-the-trainer programme was attended by more than 3,000 representatives and employees of CCCC across 102 countries. Co-hosted by GX headquarters and CCCC headquarters in Beijing, China, this 2-hour online event aimed to update CCCC’s overseas staff community of 100,000 people on the latest health knowledge and management challenges related to COVID-19.

Five global experts were invited to discuss global pandemic trends and challenges posed by COVID-19 on physical and mental well-being, public health, and occupational health at field and operations levels. Implications of the latest scientific and clinical research on staff protection, policy, and global operations were also discussed.

This is one of the flagship webinar events of the 2020 Global Health Community Knowledge Programme series. The global online series intends to support technical capacity building for Health-Emergency and Disaster Risk Management, one of the main themes of GX’s global mission and operations, along the Belt and Road countries.

To support GX’s global medical and public health humanitarian efforts, the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China (HKCCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with GX Foundation in Beijing, China on 11th December 2020. Witnessed by 400 members and guests of HKCCC, GX Chairman, Mr. Leung Chun-ying and HKCCC Chairwoman, Ms. Amy Siu consolidated and exchanged the partnership agreement between GX and the eleven China regional HKCCC chapters. The MOU highlights HKCCC’s intention to support various GX activities and to facilitate programme development along the Belt and Road countries.

Reporting:

Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China

Hosted by China Communications Construction Company, the 7th GX Board Meeting was held on the 13th November 2020 in Beijing, China. In addition to reviewing its 2020 global field activities and 2021 annual work plan, GX board also discussed various key strategies to address global programme implementation challenges and field staff protection needs posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fostering strong partnership with frontline medical teams is a key milestone towards the success of GX Foundation's overseas Cataract Blindness Elimination project. In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring health and safety of all stakeholders, patients, field and medical staff are priorities to GX’s operation. GX team met with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Health Commission in Nanning to plan, discuss and update implementation details and revisit infection control measures for GX-Guangxi medical teams in South East Asia.

GX Foundation is in active discussions with tertiary institutions in China to foster partnerships and build a platform for multilateral knowledge-sharing, as well as opportunities for Chinese professionals to participate in overseas humanitarian health initiatives.

The opening ceremony of the GX Foundation Hong Kong headquarters office was held on the morning of August 20, 2020. The attending guests included Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Chairman of GX Foundation, and Directors Dr. Ko Wing-man, Mr. Zhang Huan-ping, Mr. Cheng Kar-shing, and board members, as well as partners in various fields.

In his opening speech, Mr. Leung highlighted that GX Foundation is a Chinese NGO established in Hong Kong, aiming to provide international medical humanitarian aid and related assistance. The establishment of GX was to embody the spirit of "people-to-people connectivity" between the international communities by upholding the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits. These highlight the idea of “sharing” under the Belt and Road Initiative for International Cooperation, and the establishment of a communities with a shared future.

In the early stages of development, the GX will deploy Chinese medical teams to provide free cataract surgeries for the local people in both East Africa and South East Asia. Missions include sites in Djibouti, Laos, and Prey Veng Province in Cambodia. In the mid-term, GX will develop itself as an international flagship medical and health assistance organization. The long-term goal is to become a recognized force in the international humanitarian field, with discursive power and capacity to effectively support China’s participation in global governance and international development cooperation.

During the event, GX Director Mr. Cheng Kar-shing, Chairman of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation, presented a donation of HKD 50 million in the name of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation to support the GX's cataract surgery projects in Africa for the next 5 years.

Our first cohort of student interns has recently completed their short-term internship with GX. With guidance and support from the team, they have been contributing on a variety of tasks including background research and analysis, field programme planning and protocol development. As a Chinese international humanitarian organisation, our internship programme provides a unique opportunity for young undergraduate and postgraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in international medical & health relief work, especially under the Belt and Road Initiative. Interns will also get hands-on experience while collaborating with our local, national and international counterparts. The duration of internship can be flexible, ranging from 2-12 weeks. We welcome young talents with diverse academic, linguistic and cultural background to join us. For applications and enquiries, please feel free to contact us (info@gxfoundation.hk).

“The GX Foundation internship was particularly interesting for me since it allowed me to see the deep level of administrative work that goes on behind the scenes even before a project can be realized. Previously, I have done volunteer work or engaged in opportunities where my contribution has been limited to doing the actual end activity. This experience uniquely allowed me to see how such activities or projects come into place in the first place and how one can virtually design a new project from scratch – which I believe has been an invaluable learning.”

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global health security challenge for 2020. In addition to the uncertainties associated with the disease and treatment, there has been a significant shortage of medical supplies and lack of support to enhance community and household resilience globally.

As a Hong Kong based Chinese NGO dedicated to international humanitarian assistance, GX foundation joined the local emergency response and health resilience-building efforts. With the support from our project partners – China Communication and Construction Company and Fashion Focus Manufacturing Limited, GX has donated and distributed masks to more than 60 local organisations to support vulnerable population subgroups to combat against the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Main beneficiaries of the Hong Kong programme included patients in palliative care, individuals with psychiatric disorders, patients and families in low- income families, people who involved in-home care patients, the population in high-risk occupation subgroups such as cleaners and residential security guards. (Photo copyrights: Professor CHAN Ying Yang, Emily)