[Twinkle Stars] Report of Work - Doda Kwan, Chairlady of Twinkle Stars (February 2022)

[關劉麗霞]

First of all, I wish all of you every success in the Year of Tiger. Twinkle Stars (TS) has continued assisting needy students despite the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021. I would like to report our progress of work in the year 2021-22 as follows: -

1. Progress of work in 2021
TS has helped 2,445 students since 2008, and is helping 885 students in 2021-22. 217 students joined the scheme in September 2021.

2. Recognition of the work of TS
In November 2020, the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region awarded TS District Chairman, Mr Simon Kwok a Certificate of Honour for his contribution to education.

In September 2021, the Education Bureau of Guangning, Guangdong awarded TS the honour of ‘Outstanding Charitable Organization’ for its contribution to education.

Thanks to the success of the poverty alleviation effort in China, three districts have withdrawn from the TS scheme. As a result, TS is run in 13 districts in Guangxi and Guangdong in 2021. More than thirty students have also voluntarily ceased applying for TS assistance or reduced the amount of aid applied, citing improvement in their financial situation or award of scholarships as well as their desire to offer the chance to other needy students.

3. Paying home visits to applicants
Students of TS scheme voluntarily formed home visiting teams to help TS vet new applications in July and August 2021.

4. Initiation of TS scheme in 2021
We used to hold summer camps in August to kick start the TS scheme of the year. But in 2021, because of the Covid pandemic, we could only hold one summer camp in Nanning, Guangxi and several small scale online-cum-face to face ceremonies in different districts.

Welcome to the following for more details of the Summer Camp in Nanning, Guangxi:
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Q3411 ... 444.41.0.0

Mr Ng Yat Wa participated in the initiation ceremonies in 8 districts in Meizhou as representative of sponsors.

5. Encouraging liaison between sponsors and students
In addition to financial aid, TS also aims at fostering a mentor-mentee relationship between sponsors and students. To this end, we call sponsors ‘star fathers or star mothers’ and students, ‘stars’. Stars from different districts also form groups to liaise with and help one another.

6. Activities of stars in 2021
Every year, stars will hold gatherings among themselves in their respective cities. Welcome to the following links for more star activities:
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Wm4y1 ... 33.999.0.0
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV17R4y1 ... 444.41.0.0

My heartfelt thanks to the loving sponsors and helpful education officials in the Mainland. Without their support and assistance, TS would not have been able to assist 2,445 needy students to fulfil their university dreams in the past 14 years.

Doda Kwan, Chairlady of Twinkle Stars