Honoring NGO workers through a photojournalistic initiative

Behind every NGO is a team of dedicated staff working tirelessly in the background.

The D. H. Chen Foundation has partnered with Hong Kong Shifts to launch a photojournalistic campaign #CompassionInAction to feature the people behind the NGOs which are the 2020 awardees of Project Fuel.

Compassion is at the heart of our Foundation’s values. Each of the individuals interviewed share their thoughts on compassion and what it means to them in their field of work.

Health in Action (醫護行者)

Chelsy
Nutritionist (營養學家)

"Compassion is not sympathy, but respect; it’s respecting the other enough to accept their point of view and to find solutions from their perspective."

「同理心唔係同情心，而係尊重，係要尊重對方嘅睇法，從佢哋嘅角度去搵解決方案。」

Fantastic Dream (網．想．正.)

Kit (傑 - “talent”)
Project Manager (項目經理)

"With compassion, we can understand the environment and challenges that someone else is facing and really think about what they need, not what we think they need.”

「運用同理心，我哋可以明白另一個人面對緊嘅處境同挑戰，真係諗吓佢哋最需要嘅係咩，而唔係我哋覺得佢哋需要啲咩。」

Buddolescent (青一釋)

Man (文 - “literary”)
CEO (總幹事)

"Compassion requires one to constantly learn, practise and experience; it’s about communicating with, understanding and learning from others."

「同理心需要我哋持續學習、練習同埋經歷，我哋要懂得同其他人溝通、理解其他人同埋互相學習。」

Little Life Warrior Society (生命小戰士會)

Carman
Kids Ambassador (兒童大使)

"Compassion means to see from someone’s point of view, understand their situation and care for them based on how they feel."

「同理心係要從對方嘅角度睇事物，明白佢哋嘅處境，從佢哋嘅感受出發去關心佢哋。」

Act Plus Education Foundation (樂言社教育基金)

Hana
Youth Program Officer (青年項目主任)

"Compassion is not sympathy - it’s about being equals with someone and letting go of our ego to truly understand how they feel and how we can help.”

「同理心唔係同情心，而係要想像自己同對方喺同一個處境，放低本身嘅價值觀，去真正理解佢哋嘅感受，同埋需要點樣嘅幫助。」

Golden Age Foundation (黃金時代基金會)

Gary
Assistant Manager, Innovation Programme (創新項目助理經理)

"Compassion is about being patient and caring, and listening intently to allow the other person to fully express how they feel and what they need.”

「同理心係講緊要有耐性同埋關懷，要有誠意咁聆聽另一個人，等佢可以完全咁表達自己嘅感受同埋需要。」

VolTra (義遊)

Olivia
Senior Programme Manager (高級項目經理)

"True compassion is being able to see from the eyes of the people you are trying to help what the problem actually is for them, and providing valuable support through those lenses.”

「真正嘅同理心就係要從對方嘅角度睇到佢哋真正面對嘅問題，然後提供相應嘅支援俾佢哋。」

SLCO Community Resources (語橋社資)

Chloe
Sign Bilingual Teacher (手語雙語老師)

"Compassion can be expressed through language; it’s really all about patient communication, understanding and connection.“

「同理心可以用語言去表達出嚟，講到尾都係要有耐性咁同人溝通、理解同埋建立連繫。」

MLH Youth Cultural and Educational Centre (晨曦青少年文教中心)

Yi (意 - “meaning”)
Administrative Volunteer (行政義工)

"Being compassionate requires one to detach from any hierarchical or status barriers and fully be with the other without comparison."

「 用同理心去關懷一個人，首先要放低自己任何嘅階級或者身份地位，唔作任何比較，完全代入對方嘅處境。」

Love 21

Yun (仁 - “kindness”)
Programme Manager (項目經理)

"Compassion, to me, means being able to bring people with differences together through a shared common language and that, for me, is sports."

「同理心，對於我嚟講，係要用一種共同嘅語言去將唔同嘅人帶埋一齊，而對我嚟講，嗰種共同語言就係運動。」

Heart-to-Heart Life Education Foundation (心繫心生命教育基金)

Michelle
Program Officer (項目主任)

"I think compassion is about active listening, patience and accepting another’s emotions as fully valid.”

「我覺得用同理心去對待一個人係要用心去聆聽，有耐性同埋完全接納嗰個人嘅情感。」

MakerBay (工匠灣)

Suet (雪 - “snow”)
Program Officer (項目主任)

"Compassion applies everywhere and to all aspects of life and, if you are like me and are visually sensitive, then it can be expressed and communicated through art, too.”

「同理心可以放喺任何地方同埋生活嘅任何方面，如果你好似我咁，視覺好敏感嘅話，你都可以透過藝術創作去表達你嘅同理心 ，同其他人交流。」

DADs Network

Cheung (昌 - “flourish”)
Service Development Supervisor (服務發展主管)

"Compassion, to me, is about setting aside the tendency to compare and being with the other person in their own space and emotions fully."

「同理心，對於我嚟講，係要放低嗰種互相比較嘅諗法，完全喺對方嘅世界同埋情緒入面陪伴佢。」

Hong Kong Association for AD/HD (專注不足 / 過度活躍症(香港)協會)

Bo (保 - “protect”)
Administrative Worker (行政工作人員)

"Compassion to me means stepping into someone else’s shoes and acting accordingly to meet their needs."

「同理心係要從對方嘅角度出發，諗下佢哋有咩需要，再去提供協助。」

Teen’s Key (青躍)

Bo (寶 - “treasure”)
Outreach Worker (外展工作者)

"Empathy and compassion should not exist only between people with the same values; true compassion is universal."

「 唔應該只係關心同自己有相同價值觀嘅人，真正嘅同理心係一視同仁嘅。」