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Jimmy Chow

When a Hong Kong teacher took a handful of students to Cambodia for some voluntary work six years ago, he never imagined that it would grow into a lasting organisation.
Co-founded by Chan Yik-yeung, vice-principal of Yan Chai Hospital Law Chan Chor Si College, youth volunteer group Dream Compassioneers has mobilised more than 1,000 students in service projects across Asia since its establishment in 2020.
The initiative has earned the team a place as a finalist in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, recognised in the teamwork category for inspiring empathy and leadership through community service.
Recalling the trip to Cambodia where he and his students performed voluntary work, Chan said: “We just wanted to help where we could. But when I saw how much the students changed after that trip, I knew this had to continue.”
Among the students who joined the trip was Ice Or Ka-ying, who has stayed on as a volunteer of Dream Compassioneers since graduating from the Chinese University of Hong Kong last year.
“That trip changed me completely,” she said. “We went to a rubbish mountain where families survive by collecting plastic.”
“It was heartbreaking. I realised how lucky we are in Hong Kong and that we have a responsibility to give back. That’s why we founded Dream Compassioneers.”
Today, with student committees overseeing planning, fundraising and outreach, Dream Compassioneers operates as a registered joint-school NGO promoting international volunteering and education.

The team provides daily necessities, education support and basic infrastructure, such as electricity and water, to children in need across Hong Kong, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal and Zambia, improving lives sustainably.
“The students run the operations, and the teachers and community leaders serve as mentors. Everyone has a role. That’s what makes this team strong,” Chan said.
Or now helps mentor younger members by guiding them in planning and logistics across executive and subsidiary boards, as well as in newly established service clubs in several schools.
“Dream Compassioneers is still in its early stages, and I’m committed to nurturing it while fostering more Hong Kong student service leaders for our society and the world.”
For Chloe Wong Sze-kiu, a university student studying early childhood education, the experience helped her turn theory into practice.
“At university I learn how to teach, but in Cambodia I learned how to love,” she said. “The children there gave me more warmth than I could ever give them,” she said, adding that she hopes to continue combining teaching with service work after graduation.
Kelly Hui Yi-tung, another member, focuses on local projects, such as serving hearing-impaired students.
“I have always loved volunteering. Even small actions matter. When you see a child smile, you feel every effort is worthwhile,” she said, believing that teamwork is rooted in empathy.
What makes Dream Compassioneers special is its intergenerational spirit.
With members aged 12 to 81, from secondary school students and university graduates to teachers and community leaders, each generation mentors the next, fostering a collaborative and supportive community.
The group’s structure reflects this continuity. Older volunteers coach younger ones in leadership and cultural sensitivity, while teachers ensure safety and reflection.
“Our team is like a family. We cry together and laugh together. We solve problems by listening to one another,” said Or.
According to Chan, Dream Compassioneers follows a clear organisational structure similar to that of a professional NGO.
It operates through student-led committees on fundraising, education, logistics and outreach, working across institutions, countries and sectors to unite diverse groups in delivering compassion and hope to children in need.
Teachers and senior alumni act as advisers, while students make most of the decisions.
Looking ahead, Dream Compassioneers plans to expand into a citywide youth network connecting schools across Hong Kong.
The Spirit of Hong Kong Awards is co-organised by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group to recognise the efforts of the city’s unsung heroes who contribute to the community or inspire others with stories of how they overcome personal challenges.


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News

Hong Kong

Society

Youth volunteer group Dream Compassioneers has been nominated in the teamwork category of Spirit of Hong Kong Awards


Youth volunteer group Dream Compassioneers has been nominated in the teamwork category of Spirit of Hong Kong Awards.


Spirit of Hong Kong

Cambodia

Chan Yik-yeung

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: how a volunteer trip to Cambodia sparked youth-led NGO

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Youth volunteer group Dream Compassioneers has been nominated in the teamwork category of Spirit of Hong Kong Awards

Youth volunteer group Dream Compassioneers has been nominated in the teamwork category of Spirit of Hong Kong Awards