Page 13 - Sphere No.10 (Dec 2003)

Company, the team has grown bigger and
is better organised, thanks to the active
assistance of some of the best professional
business managers in Hong Kong.
The HWL Volunteer Team has now
come of age, enjoying full support and
recognition at the highest level.
Thanking the volunteers for their care
and enthusiasm and expressing the appre-
ciation of top management, HWL
Chairman Li Ka-shing endorsed the for-
mal establishment of the Volunteer Team
on November 16 during the Group’s
annual Sports and Family Day.
Mr Li himself has set a good example
for his staff. He is the “biggest” volunteer
and has given staunch support to various
charitable causes.
Having experienced the turmoil of war
in his youth, Mr Li migrated from
Mainland China to Hong Kong and
entered the workforce at an early age.
Those early struggles left him with an
abiding conviction that the strength of
a nation depends on the quality of its edu-
cation and healthcare, and that nothing is
more meaningful than helping the needy.
As Li Ka-shing’s businesses have pros-
pered, he has devoted more and more
time and resources to charitable projects,
particularly those that benefit education
and healthcare in Hong Kong and the
Mainland. In 1980, he set up the Li Ka
Shing Foundation in order to distribute
funds more systematically. Since then, over
HK$5 billion (more than US$641 million)
has been donated to charitable causes.
To further develop and encourage the
Volunteer Team, certificates of service are
issued to recognise their effort and com-
mitment. They have also been outfitted
with comfortable “uniforms” – further
consolidating team spirit.
F OOD FOR THOUGHT
To celebrate the formal establishment of the
HWLVolunteerTeam, an ambitious new ini-
tiative called “Build a Healthier Generation”
was launched in November. The project is
a joint effort between A.S. Watson (ASW)
and HWL “Health Ambassadors” and its pri-
mary aim is to teach young children and
educate their parents about the importance
of healthy eating habits.
In the first stage, ASW pharmacists give
training workshops to volunteers and
health talks to kindergarten teachers and
parents. While the main focus is on the
importance of a balanced diet for main-
taining good mental and physical health,
other topics include common children’s ail-
ments and handling of children’s medicine.
“To teach children good and balanced
eating habits can help build a healthier
generation, which is our target,” says
Sindy Mok, a Watsons pharmacist who is
closely involved in the project.
“It is best to foster good eating habits in
childhood. A balanced diet is important
for growth. It provides energy and nutri-
tion that improves learning ability, main-
tains good weight and prevents illness.”
Ms Mok conducted two training ses-
sions for about 55 volunteer Health
Ambassadors in November. In turn, these
ambassadors go to selected kindergartens
to teach the children and their parents
about food health.
“Healthy children must eat well, play
well, sleep well and exercise well,” Ms
Mok adds. “We use a food pyramid to
illustrate what kind of meals should be
eaten and the Health Ambassadors use
interactive games based on the food pyra-
mid to teach the children.”
The game teaches children to distinguish
the four categories of the food pyramid.
To their amusement and delight, the
children act as different kinds of food in
the games. In the process, they learn what
is good and what is bad for their health.
Grains such as rice and wheat are placed
at the bottom and can be eaten the most.
Fruit and vegetables come next. Milk,
meat and protein are vital, but in smaller
quantities, and the smallest category,
which includes oils, salts and sugars,
should be eaten the least.
“When the game is over, the Health
Ambassadors help parents to assess
whether their children are getting a bal-
anced diet,” Ms Mok explains. “The
height and weight of the children is also
measured to make sure they are healthy.”
Thanks to the support of HWL, the
Team has been able to organise and man-
age the kindergarten initiative with useful
access to resources and expertise – some-
thing that could not have been achieved
by only one or two individuals.
The initiative is expected to go a long
way towards helping achieve the grand
ambition to build a healthier generation.
And there’s another very healthy side
effect: “This programme really appeals to
the volunteers,” notes Franco Ning.“They
really love playing with the kids.”
S PHERE
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