Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are facing different kinds of challenges and started new ways to deal with them. Starting from February, we will have different alumni from East Asia region to share their insights and stories monthly in 2021.
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How did I overcome the challenges during the pandemic
Mr. Wilfred LEUNG
This has been a very challenging period for all of us. I remember in January 2020 we were all just busy celebrating Chinese New Year, the restaurants were full of tables filled with many happy faces and joyous interactions. The Manchester Airport was decorated with Chinese lanterns to greet their arrivals. Little that we knew then there were multiple unforeseen challenges lying ahead of us, and on a global scale.
Much of my job on resources development is relationship building and cultivation through face-to-face contacts. The pandemic has put most of these on a pause. Not just the face-to-face meetings and visits have been affected, but also the charity events which involve people gatherings. My work involves travelling to Macau from time to time, in addition to the operations in Hong Kong, and frequent business travelling has not been feasible with the quarantine requirements. Our fundraising plans and efforts were very much affected. With the worsening of the novel virus outbreak, however, there was an emerging need to care for the people in need and to make sure they have sufficient basic necessities. We are grateful for our individual donors and corporate partners for their continued and generous support throughout this period. They have been giving not just the monetary support, but food and anti-epidemic items to help the people in need to cope with the challenges brought by COVID-19. When situations allowed, they also came as volunteers to help our staff distributing these items to the elderly, people living in the sub-divided flats and those sleeping on the streets.
For the latter part of 2020, when we learnt that the pandemic might not be going away very soon, many non-profit organisations started having their fundraising events online. There were all kinds of virtual events, gala dinners, charity runs and charity challenges utilizing online platforms and social media. Our organisation has attempted to host a virtual charity orienteering, a self-paced sports challenge and a charity cooking social media challenge. While we are grateful for the positive support we have received, we are also encouraged with the connections we are able to make through these various platforms, though limited but meaningful. Talking about virtual events, we should mention The University of Manchester Worldwide Charity Run held on 19 September 2020. We need to thank Chairman Janny Shum and her team at the Manchester Business School Alumni Association (China) for their organisation, hard work and great efforts. It started with a group of alumni in East Asia hoping to make a difference for the community in the middle of the pandemic, and eventually developed into a worldwide charity run with alumni and students participated from 24 countries, raising funds for the University Emergency Hardship Fund and five other charitable organisations in various parts of the world. I just ran my part near my home, but it was a remarkable experience knowing that your friends are running at the same time with you in Dubai, London, Manchester, Tokyo and elsewhere.
The Global MBA programme was my first time experience to be studying in a business school. I am grateful for our alma mater, the support from our teachers and staff, especially those at the East Asia Centre. The logical thinking and analytical skills we have developed from the programme have definitely prepared us for a time of crisis like the current one. The programme has also helped to expand much of my personal networks. When you face any issues needing help, there would also be one of the alumni just a phone call away.
At the East Asia Centre, we have a Social Responsibility Group formed by a group of alumni with passion to serve the community through active participation and volunteering services. They have organized a number of meaningful volunteer activities in the past and I am sure many more will be happening later in 2021 when the situation improves.
With the gradual introduction of vaccines, we are positive that we will be able to get back to normal later this year. Hopefully, we will be able to travel and meet with our global alumni again soon, just like the good old days.
*The views and opinions expressed in this section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the editorial positions of UoM East Asia Centre.
Alumnus: Mr. Wilfred Leung
Wilfred Leung graduated from the Alliance Manchester Business School with an MBA in 2016. He is currently The Salvation Army’s Development Director, responsible for resources development in Hong Kong and Macau. In 2016, Wilfred was given the Best Student Award by the Manchester Business School Alumni Association (China), and in 2017, MBA Student of the Year Award by the Association of MBAs, the international postgraduate business education accreditation body.
