China Hope School

China’s massive internal migration from rural to urban areas over the last few decades has resulted in a large population of left-behind children, numbering as many as 69 million [1]. These children are usually left in the care of their extended families and often suffer from developmental and emotional challenges as well as poorer educational outcomes [2] due to a lack of adequate support networks and public infrastructure. Stanley co-founded the China Hope School alongside three colleagues in rural Guangxi Province to do what he could to address this growing problem.

Stanley attended the One Young World Summit at the Hague in 2018. He was deeply moved by the event and was inspired by its networking aspect. Though he had an extensive background in corporate social responsibility initiatives before attending the Summit, his One Young World experience helped him build upon and upgrade his philanthropic vision. The connections he made through One Young World also opened new opportunities for him, and as a result, he now mentors MBA students in leadership and coaching.

The China Hope School project has received support from Tencent and Kellogg’s, with the latter providing cereal products so that the children can have access to school meals and snacks. The school also received extensive support from people in China through donations of school supplies and equipment. The curriculum at the school is tailored to the specific needs of rural children and functions as an accelerated programme. It has proven itself to be a place where left-behind children can develop into well-adjusted adolescents who have the ability to pursue further education elsewhere once they have completed their time at the China Hope School. Since 2018, between 200-300 children have passed through its doors.

"I was really touched and moved by the One Young World Summit. I got connected to people from different companies and accomplishments, from Nobel Prize winners to CEOs. Charity and CSR work was a mindset for me but One Young World accelerated and upgraded my vision to a new level"