Li gives out $36m to community projects

Li gives out $36m to community projects

More than 50 nongovernmental organizations (非政府機構) and schools - including the Hong Kong Association of the Deaf, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and St James' Settlement - were among 250 community projects (社區項目) to receive more than HK$36 million yesterday.

A total of HK$34 million from the Li Ka Shing Foundation was awarded to 230 projects, while foundation chairman Li Ka-shing handed out (note 1) an extra grant of HK$2.3 million to 20 other ventures.

The projects cover (note 2) a wide spectrum (note 3) of community services, from medical care for diabetics and renal patients, to social services for single parents and ethnic minorities under the foundation's "Love Ideas, Love HK" program which was established last year.

One of the projects to benefit this year is the Asbury Methodist Social Service's "Dancing to a Colorful Life," which got a one-off grant of HK$300,000.

The organization's youth service manager Josephine Chun Yuk-yu said the project aims to (希望做到) help marginal youngsters (邊緣青年) build up (note 4) self- esteem (自我形象) through dancing. Chun said the project began last year and the grant will be used to recruit more dancing instructors and social workers, and hire more venues (場地).

She said that after talking with teenagers, they found that many of them were interested in (note 5) music and dancing. "We want to attract them to our center to learn dancing instead of wandering about (遊蕩) the streets," she said.

The Li Ka Shing Foundation was set up in 1980 and has given out more than HK$12.5 billion in charitable donations (慈善捐款). Last year about HK$28 million was given in grants to 181 projects.

From good to better English:

(note 1) hand out=give out(捐出)。The hidden hand=看不見的勢力，幕後操縱者。Victor told Mo Mo: I can’t give you a promotion. My hands are tied=Victor 告訴Mo Mo: 我的權力極其有限, 不能升你職。Bite the hand that feeds one=忘恩負義。

(note 2) cover=覆蓋、涵蓋。Bi Bi’s studies covered a wide field=Bi Bi的研究涉及廣大範圍。cover up =包庇某人。I read Ivy’s new book from cover to cover=我從頭到尾看完Ivy的新書。

(note 3) a wide spectrum=範圍很廣。a wide difference= 巨大的差異。wide distribution=分佈寬廣。Ivan is wide awake=Ivan很精明。 far and wide=普遍。have one's eyes wide open=機警。

(note 4) build up=建立。Build a fire=生火。Sally Aw had built a media empire=Sally Aw曾經 創立報業帝國。Jo Jo is very well built=Jo Jo體魄健壯。

(note 5) interested in=對事情有興趣。the interested parties=有關的當事人。interested witness=偏心的證人。Interesting=有趣的。An interesting conversation=有趣味的談話。

Victor’s View: I strongly encourage rich and famous people in Hong Kong to set up foundations and provide funding for young people to launch creative projects and programs that will benefit the underprivileged. Young people have dreams and they need seed money to fulfill their dreams. Please help!

(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 3 books on English-enhancement and plans to write 7 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)