One area of focus in AAG Cares is to provide underprivileged children with opportunities as compared to their peers in school. Not all children are born financially equal, and many cannot afford benefits like tuition classes, or even daily necessities like stationery or a proper pair of shoes. Some even have problems affording their daily meals and sometimes go hungry.

Over the years, myself and those involved have been touched by many stories of our beneficiaries. The programmes have not only benefitted the beneficiaries, in the process of volunteering and helping others, having the opportunity to witness and empathise with others, the impact on the volunteers was equally profound.

One of our annual programs, Hope for Pearl, the students that we adopt have two distinct conditions - their academic records are particularly outstanding, and they come from very poor families. Many of these students dropped out of high school due to family circumstances or financial problems.
 
We bring these children back to school by financing their meals and living expenses for three years. Many of these students will eventually graduate from high school and enrol in prestigious universities in China.
 
These "Little Pearls" no longer need to drop out of school because of their family circumstances. One day, they too can become a teacher, an entrepreneur, or even a scientist. Otherwise, they will likely end up as farmers, just like their parents.
 
The thought of how our little efforts and contributions can help these "little pearls" to break out of the poverty cycle and build a life for themselves makes us truly happy.