Hon Adviser Mr CHUA Hoi-wai's letter to Old Boys – Serve our best in epidemic fight

2020.04.05

Following is a letter to Old Boys by the Honorary Adviser of Queen's College Old Boys' Association (QCOBA) and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), Mr CHUA Hoi-wai, today (April 5).

This is the third episode of Letters Asunder, an initiative to mark QCOBA's centenary in 2020 under the theme "Serving QC family, our centenary duty", sharing with the Queen's community words of wisdom and reflections.

Serve our best in epidemic fight

Dear brothers,

This is the best of times, and also the worst of times. The pandemic of COVID-19 has revealed the altruism and greed of the people.

Soon after the epidemic hit, it sent everyone scrambling for face masks. A pharmacy in Wan Chai was selling a box of masks at $700, which was only sold at $40 in the past. At the same time, our friend resorted to every means to import 10 000 boxes of masks from overseas, which were transferred to HKCSS at about $20 per box at cost. We were then able to provide basic equipment for residential care homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities as well as home care services swiftly so that colleagues could continue to work at ease.

In the past two months or so, many commercial organisations and social welfare bodies took the initiative to deliver masks and alcohol-based sanitisers to elderly persons, chronic patients and grassroots residents. HKCSS also attempted to collect equipment from the community in collaboration with two commercial organisations and nearly 10 000 pieces of masks and over 2 000 bottles of sanitisers were collected in two afternoons. I am impressed that Hong Kong people were still happy to contribute their part to those in need in extreme difficulties, regardless of their social positions or political beliefs. Such mutual support networks show the genuine spirit of the Lion Rock.

From the beginning of the epidemic, we have been reflecting on ourselves what we could do more for the community. Apart from essential services such as residential care homes, home care services and family crisis support, many welfare services have been disrupted. Colleagues however tried all possible ways to reach out to service users. Some of them called the elderly to understand their condition and needs, relieving their anxiety, providing them with masks or sending them food and daily necessities.

HKCSS does not offer direct services, but we do our utmost to support welfare organisations. As the grassroots were in desperate needs for masks, we made use of the social capital accumulated over the years and successfully obtained donations from the business sector and private foundations. We then procured large amounts of anti-epidemic equipment round the globe through friends and delivered to the needy with the support from hundreds of welfare organisations. Over 2.5 million pieces of masks and 300 000 bottles of sanitisers have been distributed in the last month, providing basic protection for some 200 000 grassroots and disadvantaged residents. We will be delivering about 3 million additional pieces of masks in the next fortnight.

Like many in our community, ordering and delivering masks have become our second job recently. Some said our talent was wasted, but actually we were not up to the task. We were unduly worried as we have to watch out for deception, but colleagues put in unconditional hard work and walked the extra mile to take up manual jobs to get them done.

Let's do good deeds, as selfish calculations at critical junctures will bring us guilt at the end. Although we are not frontline medical professionals whose zealous efforts are highly respectable, every one of us can play our part.

The citywide turmoil has put us through the toughest times in the past ten months and we may have been saddened by pessimism at times. Despite the current epidemic which is yet to be optimistic, many around us have maintained professionalism and kindness amid difficulties, serving Hong Kong where we call home. This may not be the spring of hope, but is definitely not the winter of despair. Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with "me".

Hoi-wai

Queen's College Old Boys' Association
April 5, 2020