NGO Projects

NGO Projects is one of the most loved part of the Program.  Below are the NGO leaders’ experience of working with our students, and the projects from the 2011 program.  We are privileged to have Grameen Foundation, Dialogue in the Dark, and Diamond Cab come back for the 2012 program.

“I really love the Chillies team.  They show such initiative to contribute for DiS [Dialogue In Silence].” – Anthony Pang, GM of Dialogue in the Dark, affiliate of Dialogue in Silence

“On behalf of DiS , I would like to express my sincere thanks…The proposal prepared by Chillies team about how to enhance and to run Dialogue in Silence Hong Kong towards local secondary school was a high quality one – in terms of the idea, creative, execution to presentation, which surprised all of our team members that we can’t imagine it were came from a group of young people, is awesome and professional.  We have no doubt to recommend ‘Leap Studio’ to other, also it was our pleasure to be included in your program.  We believed your program definite benefit the student.  We have implement some of the idea from Chillies in our education program,  positive feedback were received from schools.  Well done! – Fiona Wat, CEO of Dialogue in Silence

One of the simulation activities (doctor-patient role-play game) designed by our students is now adopted by DiS in their workshops for Hong Kong primary schools.  http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=176919822390386&set=a.176919592390409.45175.100002171090846&type=1&theater

“I am really impressed with the students of Leap Studio having taken Diamond Cab and visited our office with their passion to find business solutions for us. Though they are still too young to be working professionals, their real actions did make social changes of barrier-free lives with Diamond Cab!” – Doris Leung, CEO of Diamond Cab

“Bits-to-Bloc would like to express our gratification for the constructive marketing proposal that team Chewbacca has put together in just 10 days last summer.  We were impressed with the pricing research, online approach and consignment strategy that they came up with all by themselves.  Under Leap Studio’s guidance, the final presentation demonstrated a group of energetic, professional and mature students that can also contribute to our society even as youngsters.  After the 10 day program had ended, the students were still eager to carry through their ideas with us and we successfully sold one of our upcycled products.” – Judith Tse, Founder of Bits-to-Bloc

Dialogue in Silence

Sponsor:  Anthony Pang, General Manager Dialogue in the Dark, Fiona Wat, Founder of Dialogue in Silence

Project scope:  Students will develop recommendations on how to enhance the content and relevance of Dialogue in Silence’s workshops for teenagers.  Students will first interact with the deaf community / guides, then experience the workshop that is currently designed for corporate executives, and finally provide feedback and brainstorm additional ideas to make content relevant and appealing to youths.  Students will also work to develop ideas on how to adapt the content of Dialogue in Silence’s experiential exhibitions worldwide for introduction to Hong Kong.

About Dialogue in Silence:  Like other Dialogue Social Enterprises, Dialogue in Silence facilitates the social inclusion of marginalized people on a global basis, and improves communication skills in all people.  Dialogue in Silence is an exhibition that invites participants into a completely different world, a world of silence.  Deaf or hearing-impaired guides lead small groups of visitors, creating a reversal of roles: hearing people, torn out of familiar social interaction, discover their repertoire of nonverbal expression in order to communicate creatively via mime, gesture and body language. Deaf people, already competent in these skills, support the process and become ambassadors of a fascinating universe without sound.  This creates jobs for the guides, and raises awareness and creates tolerance for Otherness in the general public, thereby overcoming barriers between “us” and “them”.

Grameen Foundation

Sponsor:  Jennifer Meehan, CEO of Asia Region

Project scope:  Students will develop recommendations on how to use social media in Asia (especially China) to gather support and raise funds.   They will first examine social media trends, as well as perception of microfinance, in Asia vs. the West.  They will then study some successful examples of using social media to engage customers, funders, and supporters.  Lastly they will develop specific ideas of how Grameen foundation can use social media to target specific demographic segments (e.g., university students, young professionals).

About Grameen Foundation:  Grameen Foundation’s mission is to enable the poor, especially the poorest, to create a world without poverty.  Grameen Foundation provides microfinance institutions (MFIs) in poor communities with access to the capital they need to make micro-loans to those working to develop or expand a small business.  Grameen Foundation develops and spreads technology and open-source software that can be used by professionals serving the poor to enhance efficiency and lower operating costs (e.g., mobile phone technology).  Grameen Foundation also lead the microfinance industry in measuring impact and delivering results through the Progress Out of Poverty Index(tm).

Diamond Cab

Sponsor: Doris Leung, CEO of Diamond Cab

Project scope:  Students will develop recommendations on how to better utilize Diamond Cab at night and Sunday mornings to increase revenue sources for the operation.

About Diamond Cab:  Diamond Cab (HK) Co Ltd. (http://www.diamondcab.com.hk/en/about.php) is a brand new social venture providing point-to-point transportation service for the wheelchair users. It provides not only unprecedented wheelchair accessible and barrier-free taxi service, but also top quality standard of professional transportation for the people in need.

Bits-to-Bloc

Sponsor: Judith Tse and May Lim, Co-founders

Project scope:  Students will develop recommendations on how to promote message of upcycling through the use of 20 stools.

About Bits-to-Bloc: Winner of the 2010 Social Enterprise Summit business plan competition (http://www.social-enterprise.org.hk/ses2010/publications/04).  Bits-to-Bloc was conceived as a social enterprise to promote a new consumption culture to help reduce construction wastage in Hong Kong, especially with regards to furniture that are still in good conditions.  By incorporating elements of design, Bits-to-Bloc hopes to turn these furniture into unique, stylish, and practical furniture that can command a premium value while promoting upcycling.