InspiringHK Sports Foundation – A Sporting Chance

InspiringHK Sports Foundation – A Sporting Chance

 

Gary Wong 黃梓謙 (BA 2006)

Gary Wong is a manager at a chemicals holding company. When not flying to and from the Mainland to monitor the company’s factories, he takes on a fight for equal opportunities.

His targets? Grass-roots kids who cannot afford proper sports training, especially activities such as fencing which require costly gear.

“I believe every individual should have the right to access to different learning opportunities,” said Wong. “Be it academic, cultural or sporting.”

That’s why Wong started “InspiringHK Sports Foundation”, a charity that provides children from low-income groups with free, longterm sports training.

As a sportsman himself, Wong believes in the power of sports in developing resilience and a fighting spirit in underprivileged children.

“I was born into a very humble family – for sure not a privileged class. But I learned a lot while playing basketball when I was
young.”

The first thing he learned on the sports ground was to accept one constraint – his height.

“I was one of the shortest players on the basketball team. I hated myself when I was young.”

Disadvantaged by his physical built, Wong trained himself extra hard.

“I kept asking myself if I want to do well in basketball and if I want to compete, what should be my advantage? I realised my advantage could be my pace, my speed, maybe my shooting skills, maybe my sense of providing assistance to others. So I became the point guard.”

Wong worked his way into established local basketball teams in boyhood. This fighting spirit also got him admitted to world-class institutions like HKU and Oxford University in adulthood.

But his fight doesn’t just end there. Conceptualised just two years ago, “InspiringHK Sports Foundation” is now serving 120 students aged between 9 to 14. Participating teenagers must be beneficiaries in the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme or are referredby a registered social worker or NGO.“The students’ parents may be housewives or cleaners. They may not have certain exposure and networks,” said Wong. “Some don’t even have an idea of what a holistic education is.”

“We are here to tackle that, to share our professional connections and to level the playing field.”

Fighting shoulder to shoulder with Wong on the battlefield are 12 other professionals. Working full time in various industries, they take up different roles in the Foundation including fundraising, online marketing strategies, media and event management.

“We are a young and small charity without any full-time staff. Financial sustainability and capacity building are always at the top of our agenda. Besides financial support, commitment of our team and volunteers, our skills and network, and new ideas are equally important to our continuous growth and expansion.”

www.inspiringhk.org