GX Foundation — a charity based in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region — plans to broaden its operations, strengthen its complement of young volunteers, and deepen collaboration with the Chinese mainland.
At a Tuesday press conference reviewing the foundation’s work over the past six years, Leung Chun-ying, chairman of the foundation and vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said GX is researching providing electricity to areas overseas that are completely without power, based on public health considerations.
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With funds currently sourced solely from private enterprises and affluent families, GX also intends to raise funds from the general public both in the Chinese mainland and the HKSAR in the future, Leung added.
He told the press conference that the foundation has grown rapidly during the past six years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, the number of countries assisted by the organization has increased from five to seven.
In addition to cooperation with Laos, Cambodia, Djibouti, Senegal, and Mauritania, GX also signed agreements with Timor-Leste and Honduras.
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Established in 2018, GX aims to provide humanitarian aid in medical and public health fields to countries that are involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. It provides services including cataract surgeries, dengue fever prevention, drinking water provision, and youth development.
Rather than simply donating money, the foundation focuses on providing appropriate help to a region after conducting thorough research. By Nov 18, the foundation had provided over 16,600 free cataract surgeries in five countries.
In another pioneering program featuring dengue fever prevention, the foundation has distributed more than 16,000 mosquito lamps, approximately 100,000 mosquito nets, and nearly 340,000 dengue rapid test kits to Timor-Lest, Honduras, the China–Laos Kunming–Vientiane Railway and Expressways of Cambodia since January.
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Thanks to these efforts, despite a severe global dengue fever epidemic this year, with a 2.5-fold increase in infection cases in neighboring countries, Timor-Leste saw a 10 percent reduction in locally confirmed dengue fever cases in the first half of 2024.
Under the “Direct Potable Water Project” in Timor-Leste, which started in October, 100 purification machines will be donated to hospitals, medical facilities, and churches, along with regular maintenance provisions.
In future, the foundation hopes to assist more regions with expanded services, and will keep recruiting new members to enhance its operations, according to Leung.
Highlighting the significance of young people’s participation in the assistance projects, Emily Chan Ying-yang, CEO of the foundation, called for Hong Kong’s youngsters to join the foundation and attend its activities.
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The foundation currently has 68 full-time staff and 20 volunteers. Earlier, it launched a one-year youth ambassador program for secondary school or university students to participate in a series of public health-related activities and experience fieldwork of humanitarian aid in both local and overseas contexts. Twenty-eight Hong Kong students joined the program on Tuesday as the first batch of ambassadors.
Chan noted that over 5,000 secondary school and university students in Hong Kong attended seminars organized by the foundation from January to November, which introduced its work in various countries.
With the HKSAR as its base, the organization also hopes to enhance cooperation with institutions in the Chinese mainland and Macao SAR to seek greater development, Chan added.
