Lau Siu Ming

Journalist, Founder of Match Magazine, KELY

"Life is forever changing and uncertain, but you won't be content with taking the easy way. No matter how bumpy the road is, I believe that the mistakes and achievements you encounter along the way will become memories that you look back on one day."

I have a design background and over the past decade, I have worked in different jobs in public relations, journalism, and marketing. But throughout all of the different things I've done, I never thought that I would find myself focusing on charity work today.

In 2014, I volunteered to visit elderly people who live alone. I remember delivering a lunchbox to an old lady who was over 80. Holding the lunchbox, she burst into tears, and said, "I don't even know you, why would you be kind enough to bring me a lunchbox?" After that, I went to visit another old lady in the same building. Even though she lived with her son and her home looked quite comfortable, she too, started crying, and said, "It's been such a long time since I had a chat with someone." That experience left such a deep impression on me - I realised that there are so many people in need in our community, and sometimes all they need is someone to talk to.

Three years ago, I joined SoCo to visit families who were living in subdivided flats to understand their needs and help to improve their living conditions. One visit that stands out to me was a visit to the home of a mother and daughter. The father had passed away, and the mother was struggling to raise her daughter on her own. During the visit, I noticed a very old wooden desk in the daughter's room, so I suggested that we could replace it. The mother pulled me aside and whispered, "The table was her father's last gift before passing away." I was taken aback by this information - I hadn't realised how important this simple object was. I later found a carpenter who built a new desk for the daughter, using the wood from the original desk so that she could keep a piece of her father.

It turns out that all it takes is a small act of kindness to bring happiness to someone's life. I really hope that I can continue to contribute to charity work and help even more people.

Over the last 10 years, I have tried many different things. If I were to leave the world tomorrow, I would feel satisfied that my life was worth it. I don't think there is one "right" path in life, there is only the path that you choose. I'm proud of the path I've chosen that has brought me to this moment, even if it wasn't easy.