The months of February and March in 2020 were a familiar season, but due to the impact of the pandemic, daily life was no longer ordinary. While everyone was busy with epidemic prevention, there was a group of people who gathered supplies and shared them with vulnerable communities in need, helping them to overcome the pandemic. Peann, an alumna of the HKFYG was one of them.
During her time as the student union president and captain of the basketball team in high school, Peann participated in various leadership training programs organized by the HKFYG, including the “Hong Kong 200” leadership project. “Instructors encouraged us to use our talents to serve society,” she said. She expressed that the project not only recognized her strengths but also sparked the idea of using entrepreneurship to serve society. After graduating from university, she put her thoughts into action and teamed up with another HKFYG alumnus, Jay, to establish an environmental social enterprise Eco-Greenergy.
They pioneered the recycling and upcycling of coffee grounds into eco products, earning numerous accolades. The economy was very weak after the Lunar New Year in 2020, industries were busy finding a way out for their businesses. However, Peann and Jay were concerned about people in need at that moment. They purchased hand sanitisers for their customers and donated them to street cleaners, visually impaired people also people with disabilities.
They also launched an online pledge campaign, which resulted in a sharp increase in the number of donations from the original 500 hand sanitisers to 3,000, benefiting 5 organisations. Peann stated, “Compared to big companies, our actions may seem insignificant. But being able to inspire people around us to care for others, this ‘one step at a time’ is more important than material.” The pandemic challenged the business environment a lot in 2020, but Peann and Jay never gave up during the pandemic.
They worked hard to transform their company and build their team spirit. They cleaned the hiking trails and beaches together with their staff, encouraged people not to litter masks, and promoted proper waste sorting. Faced with COVID-19, Peann actively expressed, “There will always be an end day,” encouraging people to take a break and equip themselves during the days of fighting the pandemic, preparing for the day of a new start.