Annual Report 2010–11

38 協助烏干達婦孺 對十五位善衡書院學生來說， 2011 年暑假跟以往 很不一樣。他們參加了由書院與 Watoto 關懷兒童事 工聯合籌備的社會服務學習之旅，在沈祖堯校長和 書院學生輔導長黃錦波教授帶領下，在 7 月 6 日至 19 日到世界最貧窮的國家之一──烏干達。 烏干達久歷內戰，百廢待興，全國三千多萬人口，孤 兒佔了二百萬人，每年死於愛滋病的多達六萬四千 人。這批二十出頭的中大學生跑到這個餓殍遍地、惡 疾肆虐的國度當義工。 在隨團的沈祖堯校長帶領下，五名醫科學生為當 地人義診。一眾師生還當起建築工人來，合力為 Watoto 兒童村莊蓋學生宿舍。宿舍是由善衡書院資 助興建，大夥兒頂着烈日，把一塊塊的紅磚和上英泥 堆疊成牆。後來，工作得興起，為加快效率，索性連 手套也脫掉，不怕滿手泥垢，指甲縫綑上黑邊。來自 內地的沈軍憶述說︰「在工作開始及結束時，大家會 手牽手，唱歌、祈禱，無分國界及階級，為共同的目標 而努力，令我深受感動。」 學生們又探訪 Living Hope 婦女中心，為入住的寡 婦、未婚媽媽、感染了愛滋病或身患殘疾的婦女， 提供美容服務，悉心為她們塗指甲油和敷面膜。這 些婦女，有的容貌被毀，有的貧病交迫，孤苦無依。 所謂美容，其實是一次心靈的慰藉和治療，希望令 她們接納自己的容貌，覺得受重視，從而重建自尊和 自信心。 十位同學在旅程結束時決定共同助養 Suubi 兒童村 莊的一名小男孩。臨別時，他們送他一件善衡書院 的 T 恤，上面寫滿中英文祝福語句。藥劑系的張鈺坤 說：「希望他將來可以健康快樂生活，好好唸書，有 一天能夠看懂上面所寫的中英文。」 中大已經與 Watoto 達成了長久的合作共識，未來 會繼續支援當地的醫療、管理，協助婦女自力更生， 例如每年派出醫學院學生及教授到烏干達村落，提 供醫療服務和教育；商學院師生則負責培訓當地管 理人員，協助婦女創業等。 Offering Help to Women and Children in Uganda In 2011, 15 students of S.H. Ho College have experienced a summer like no other. They have gone on a trip co-organized by the College and the Watoto Child Care Ministries. Led by Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, CUHK Vice-Chancellor, and Prof. Wong Kam-bo, Dean of Students of the College, the team visited Uganda from 6 to 19 July.
 Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world. After years of civil conflict, the country is in desperate need of economic development and reconstruction. About two million of its population of some 30 million are orphans. Every year, more than 64,000 people die of AIDS. The CUHK team went to this famine- and disease- plagued land for voluntary service. Led by Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, five medical students offered free physical checkups for the villagers. The visiting team also doubled up as bricklayers to build a dormitory funded by S.H. Ho College for a Watoto children’s village. Under the scorching sun, they built walls with bricks and mortar. To speed up the work, they often took off their gloves and paid no attention to the fact that their nails were rimmed with dirt. ‘We held hands, sang and prayed together before and after work. We worked for a common goal, regardless of our nationalities or social status. I was deeply touched,’ said Shen Jun, a student from the mainland.
 When visiting the ‘Living Hope Women Centre’ which accommodates widows, unwed mothers, and women with AIDS and disabilities, the volunteer students became beauticians, giving manicures and facial treatment to the women there. Some of the women were disfigured, some of them destitute and homeless. What our amateur beauticians offered was in fact psychological therapy aimed at helping them to accept their appearances and rebuilding self-esteem and confidence. At the end of the trip, 10 students decided to sponsor a six-year-old boy in Watoto’s Suubi Village. When the students were about to leave the village, they gave the boy a T-shirt written with well wishes from all his ‘parents’. ‘I wish him good health and a happy life. And I hope that he’ll receive good education and be able to read all the Chinese and English words on the T-shirt,’ said Andy Cheung, a student of pharmacy.
 CUHK and Watoto have agreed on a long-term partnership to provide medical services, management and training of productive citizens in Uganda. For example, the Faculty of Medicine will send students and professors there every year to offer medical care and education; members of the Faculty of Business Administration will also offer management training to help enhance the operational standard of local enterprises, as well as assist local women in starting their own businesses.