#HOGA Meet the Team – Aggie

This week, let’s get to know the Adventurous Aggie!

Tell us briefly what you do at Give.Asia

I am in the partnership team, mostly focusing on the region of Hong Kong. My main role is to identify and reach out to potential charity partners in Hong Kong and provide support for existing partners in campaign creation.

What inspired you to start giving, and what does giving mean to you?

My mom inspired me to start giving. She has always brought me along when volunteering for churches and elderly homes since I was young. The sense of fulfilment and the impact of a small act can have a lasting impact on someone’s day/life motivates me to give. Giving means having empathy and creating a positive impact.

What causes are you most passionate about?

I am most passionate about the mental health of students. My work in cultural education in the past 6 years has helped me understand more about the different types of stress that secondary school and university students are going through in Hong Kong. Mental illness and seeking help should no longer be taboo discussion topics in society and families.

I personally know quite a few friends who are suffering from mental health issues and have students that I know who have committed suicide. I hope to bring more awareness and acceptance of mental illness among the older generation and provide more support to students/youths.

What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?

Backpacking in Peru and getting robbed at gunpoint by 4 masked men with 12 others on an island with no telecommunication signal inside the rainforest.

What’s one thing you think everyone should try at least once?

Live abroad for at least 6 months to 1 year before graduation or in your early career. Go for a one-year exchange or find a job abroad. It’s probably the period with the least to worry about – family, finance and health.

From being lost, finding accommodation, living alone, learning the language, and creating your new social network to understanding the local cultures and integrating into the city. It’s scary but very rewarding. You will have better self-concept clarity, and the experiences will reshape your perspectives.

Describe an experience that changed how you view the world.

My exchange trip to Vietnam when I was 17 changed my view of the world. By comparing the lifestyle of people in HK and Vietnam and living with the locals, I reflected that you don’t need to have the best of everything to be happy. Happiness doesn’t come from materials, money and education, it comes from within.

A quote or saying you live by, and what it means to you

“Live with no regrets”. I have heard of too many people sharing what they regretted not doing when they were young and healthy e.g. quitting the job they hate, travelling, spending time with family, being nice to others, etc. I hope that when it comes to the moment of my death with flashbacks of my life, I don’t have anything that I regret not doing or doing.

I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Aggie, and the sneak peek into the experiences that shape her. If some of her thoughts resonate with you, please feel free to comment and let Aggie know.
Have a fabulous weekend!