Yi Shan Charity is honored to be one of the gold sponsors of a charity organization this year again, sponsoring the Inclusive Resonance Charity Concert held on the evening of October 3, 2025, at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, organized by the Hong Kong Society for Community Organization and the Lions Club International. This event provides impoverished children and youth with the opportunity to take the stage and showcase their talents, allowing them to learn a skill and develop their interests. It also promotes the message of social inclusion and mutual aid, while raising funds for poverty alleviation work.
This year, the concert is themed "Inclusive Resonance," organized by the the Lions Club International, with our association as the beneficiary. The Hong Kong Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, our Children's Chinese Orchestra, the Chinese Dance Troupe, and the Choir will perform pieces such as "The Blue Danube," "The Lunch Polka," "Good Days," "Lily of the Valley," "The Moon Represents My Heart," "Flowing Water," and "Sing, Sing a Joyful Song." The concert also conveys messages of love and strength, encouraging social resonance and inclusion, working together to overcome difficulties and face life's challenges while building a better society.
According to statistics from the Census and Statistics Department, there are 955,500 children under the age of 18 in Hong Kong as of 2023, of which 215,000 live in poverty, defined as households earning below half of the median income. Among them, 37,080 children under the age of 15 receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (as of December 2023), with others coming from low-income families. The child poverty rate in Hong Kong is 22.5%, meaning one in five children lives in poverty, a situation that urgently needs social attention. A survey conducted by the Hong Kong Society for Community Organization in August 2023 showed that 60% of impoverished children have no activities even during the long summer vacation.
Due to low family income, many impoverished children and youth lack the resources to develop their interests and potential. Many rely on self-study or saving on daily meals to attend short classes to cultivate their talents. Since 2019, SoCO has provided free music programs for grassroots children, including training, costumes, performance opportunities, and financial support for participating in graded exams organized by the Central Conservatory of Music. Over the past six years, SoCO has established a Chinese Orchestra, a Chinese Dance Troupe, and a Choir, benefiting over 300 children. These children not only entered the world of music, but more than thirty have also obtained professional Chinese music grade certificates. Music has also enhanced their self-confidence and improved their academic performance.
The Children's Chinese Orchestra of the Hong Kong Society for Community Organization was established in 2018, consisting of grassroots children and youth aged 10 to 18. The orchestra currently has 24 members, many of whom come from subdivided flats, single-parent families, and newly arrived immigrant families. Many children practice musical instruments in cramped subdivided flats or hallways; some have moved to public housing in Hong Kong Island but still travel weekly to the Sham Shui Po center for practice. Our association provides them with free instrument training, costumes, performances, and annually recommends outstanding students to participate in the Central Conservatory of Music's graded practical examinations. While it may seem easy, every step is not simple. The opportunities for children to learn instruments come from the community organization’s Chinese music classes. With their resilient and diligent learning spirit, the orchestra has matured step by step and has participated in several large community performances.
