About Me
Valerie is a Year 12 student currently studying at KGV. Valerie is a passionate Year 12 student at King George V School who believes in the power of advocacy and collaboration to drive social change. Combining her creative mindset with strong public speaking skills, she has initiated various projects that inspire students and address community issues. As the leader of the KGV school chapter of the Hong Kong Global Goals Council, launching initiatives to guide today's youth to engage in real action for their own communities, Valerie demonstrates her commitment to celebrating community through innovative and collaborative solutions. Her dedication to leadership and community impact is reflected in her role as Leader of the KGV chapter of the Hong Kong Global Goals Council, where she guides initiatives that inspire youth engagement with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, as a TEDxYouth speaker, Valerie shares her insights on empowering young people to see that their actions create real change, actively pushing for a better future.
Project Description
Step Up & See is a student-led initiative connecting communities in Hong Kong and Zimbabwe, dedicated to improving the health and education of impoverished African children. Through organized donation drives in Hong Kong, this project collects gently-used eyeglasses frames and footwear, which are then sent to Zimbabwean villages where access to these essentials is scarce. The initiative addresses key issues like injuries and infections caused by lack of proper footwear and educational barriers due to poor vision, by redistributing these donated items to children who walk long distances to school and struggle to see the blackboard clearly.
Operating through strategic partnerships with local NGOs, which facilitate the distribution of shoes and glasses at community school health days, we ensure that donations reach the children who need them most. The program not only provides physical goods but also enhances educational participation and health outcomes. Student volunteers in Hong Kong manage the campaign through creative promotional activities, collection bin management, and quality control processes that ensure donations are useful and dignified.
Looking forward, Step Up & See plans to expand its donation drive, deepen its partnerships, and maintain sustainable supply chains that recycle urban surplus into rural opportunity. By fostering a sense of global citizenship and social responsibility among students in Hong Kong, the initiative models how cross-border collaboration can transform health and educational access in underserved African communities.
