JJ's Story
From Challenges to Champions
In the heart of Hong Kong's diverse community, success stories often begin with a single opportunity.
JJ's journey with KELY Support Group started when he was a young ethnic minority youth searching for direction. What began as a work placement in an architecture company through our Open Door programme became the launching pad for an extraordinary career path. Today, he stands as both a former national rugby player for the Philippines and a respected architect in Hong Kong - but his story is about so much more than personal achievement – he is a testament to the transformative power of support, resilience, and community empowerment.
"It’s so hard for us to just hear the words and to believe it."
"I'm able to share these stories to a lot of people, for ethnic minorities especially.
Going out there like a brother and sister,
they could be empowered and have a hope for the future for themselves."
John Joseph “JJ” Caguinguin, Architect, Former Professional Rugby Player & KELY Alumnus
I joined the Work Placement programme (now called the Open Door Work Placement Programme) organised by KELY 8 years ago. I'm still working in the same company.
The first time I heard of KELY was when I was 16, when KELY staff came to our school. We have a lot of NGOs that comes and go and we really don't understand the narrative that they want to give or the impact they want to provide for us as ethnic minority background. The KELY people had more care in terms of ethnic minority.
From then on, I was very active in KELY Support Group, and I wanted to volunteer. I wanted to join the events.
Through the work placement 8 years ago, I experienced the professional life at a young age. I think the resources that KELY provided to me has greatly impacted me. I got to work at the firm that I always wanted to work at. At the same time, I got to fulfil things I wanted to do in the future.
Also, throughout high school I've always played rugby. While I was going through that I wanted to know if I could get into higher levels. KELY gave us the opportunity to go watch a rugby game and train alongside with one of the coaches and some of the seniors. I also got to play for the Philippine's national team back afterwards. That was actually quite cool.
His name is Charles and he is quite a legend in rugby for Hong Kong. We both played the same position. He shared his knowledge and experience in the position with me and told me how to train properly. I've used his techniques and some of his advice.
I think that's also what motivated me to get into the athletic career.
I think this is something I want to talk about a lot because this is the one thing that has impacted me a lot. I'm able to share these stories to a lot of people, for ethnic minorities especially.
It's so hard for us to just hear words and to believe it, so going out there like a brother and sister, they could be empowered or inspired to have a hope for their own future.
#1: EDUCATION RESOURCES
A lot of ethnic minority backgrounds don't have these resources because the majority of us are in band 3 schools. I know that these work placement programmes are expensive to run but having that actually impacted me a lot. If different students do get this opportunity, then they get to have a better future.
#2: SCHOLARSHIPS
I think this could also motivate all of students because throughout my university career, I strive to get better because of the scholarships that were provided.
#3: MENTAL HEALTH CARE
the reason why I say this is because all of students don't really get this help and when they get this help and the support, they will be able to get back on their feet.
With the resources and opportunities that I got from KELY, I was able to share those stories with other people and I can see that these stories has made an impact.
A lot of alumni do this with the trainings that they've got and the knowledge they learned from KELY. I always talk about KELY Support Group and how they provided me such experience so that I was able to succeed. It's not always a perfect journey, but KELY provided guidance for us and taught us that even with failures, that's okay. These are something that shape you.
If you're a monthly donor of KELY, it's going to be in the right hands. The reason why I can say this is because I also took part in programmes that KELY provided, and they really made an impact for me.
If it impacted me, it can and will impact a lot of other young people.
"Transforming obstacles into stepping stones" became JJ’s guiding principle. Through KELY's life skills training, he gained more than just professional skills - he discovered a comprehensive support system that provided real-life experiences and critical educational resources.
Now, JJ acts as a role model for ethnic minority youth, living proof that with the right support, young people can overcome challenges and become powerful contributors to our community. Disadvantaged youth can thrive and give back in Hong Kong’s culturally diverse society. His story embodies KELY's mission: empowering young people to reach their full potential.
You can also play a crucial part in this ripple of possibility and change. Your monthly donation can be the lifeline that helps another young person like JJ transform their potential into purpose.
Join us in making a lasting impact! Let's give back to the community and help shape a brighter future for the next generation. Your generosity can make a world of difference.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
*One-time donations over HK$100 are eligible for a tax-deductible electronic donation receipt, which will be sent to donors in 4 – 6 weeks after the donation amount has been received. Monthly donors will receive a tax-deductible donation receipt annually in April each year that includes all charitable donations made in the last financial year.
Be the first to know
Join our mailing list to receive updates