Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation – Providing Education Outside The Classroom

項目發起人 Michaela Mok

Hi I’m Michaela Mok, a fresh graduate from Good Hope School. I was first associated with SKSFF two years ago when I had to propose and carry out an internal activity at school to prove my worth in order to join my school’s student council. I ended up calling it “Pause for Paws” (great title I know), an awareness campaign for local stray dogs. Narelle was nice enough to arrange to bring pups and a few dogs to school and this made the event interactive and really got the message across students. After successfully earning my spot on the student council, I went back a couple times to see my furry friends. My mom, Linda Jackson, now an active volunteer at SKSFF got me involved in a few of their activities, including face-painting, fundraising, shaking buckets etc. Last year, the school suggested I enter a local competition called “Community Leaders of Tomorrow” where funds were given to me and my partner to carry out an activity for a charity of our choice. Without hestitation, we went straight back to Narelle and SKSFF to organise Pause for Paws version 2.0, where we went to shake buckets and raise awareness outside the Rugby Sevens. This event brought both students and teachers together as well as the community and even got the attention of the Education Bureau who later invited us to give a lecture about our experience to professors and students alike at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Though we did not win CLT, we were rewarded with the Most Popular Project Award. Upon finishing my public exams and graduating, I received a call about Pause for Paws creating buzz within the Education Bureau and that they would like my partner and I to appear on a television programme about student-led projects in collaboration with RTHK. Needless to say, SKSFF has opened a series of doors in my life, leading me to different opportunities and for that I am forever grateful. Among all the events, it puts a smile on my face to see our community willingly come together to pitch in to help our furry friends. Each dollar spent on the dogs is put to good use with medical care, food and maintenance, all ensuring a better life for the dogs, as said in SKSFF’s motto. During my few visits to the kennel, I have grown to love each of the 106 dogs there, understanding their back stories and personalities. I hope tonight’s event with help of the fringebacker can provide enough assistance to the shelter to keep making a difference, one canine at a time.