Why we wanted to make a change?
- Poverty is serious in Hong Kong: nearly every one in five children in Hong Kong is living in poverty¹.
- Underprivileged children stuck in poverty cycle: Children who grow up in low-income households tend to have less access to opportunities and therefore are more likely to remain poor in adulthood. Compounded with the lack of space in Hong Kong, underprivileged children are deprived of an environment where they can learn and develop happily and healthily.
- More than just formal education is needed: The Hong Kong government provides basic subsidies for school fees and supplies, but these are not sufficient. Underprivileged children are often unable to participate in the extra-curricular activities and outdoor activities that develop skills such as resilience and confidence, and ultimately enhance social mobility. It is Starfish’s mission to close the opportunity gap by providing much needed opportunities to underprivileged children in Hong Kong.
We do not believe that the underprivileged should ‘lose at starting line’. Starfish’s goal is to close the opportunity gap and equalize opportunities.
We strongly believe every child is worth investing in, and only if we invest in our children we can drive societal changes and create a more harmonious society.
¹https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201912/13/P2019121300605.htm
我們如何作出改變?為什麼我們要作出改變?
∙ 香港貧窮嚴重: 香港幾乎每五個兒童中,幾乎有五分之一的人生活在貧窮之中。
∙ 貧困兒童陷入貧困的循環: 在低收入家庭中成長的兒童,往往獲得的機會較少,因此成年後更有可能繼續貧窮。由於香港缺乏空間,貧困兒童也被剝奪了健康、快樂學習的成長環境。
∙ 需要的不僅是正規的教育: 香港政府為學費和用品提供基本補貼,但這些補貼是並不足夠的。貧困兒童往往無法參加課外活動和戶外活動,這些活動有助於培養復原力和信心等技能,並最終增強社會流動性。海星慈善基金有限公司的使命是為香港貧困兒童提供急需的機會,以縮減機會發展的差距。
我們認為,弱勢群體不應該"輸在起跑線上"。海星慈善基金有限公司的目標是縮小機會差距,實現機會均等。
我們堅信每個孩子都值得投資,只有投資於我們的孩子,我們才能推動社會變革,創造一個更加和諧的社會。