WPD Fund 荃人發展基金
Whole Person Development Fund (WPD Fund) was established in 2011 by TWGSS Alumni to support the academic pursuit and whole person development of TWGSS students. 1.9 million HKD was raised initially among alumni, it was later expanded to over 6 million HKD thanks to subsequent donors, especially the generosity of two donors with contribution of over 1 million HKD each. The WPD Fund Management Committee was set up to manage the allocation of the fund. The committee is composed of representatives from each graduating class, donors and key stakeholders, but all alumni are welcomed to attend the annual allocation committee and get involved. The committee members elect one Chairman and one Vice Chairman to lead the effort and be the contact point persons with school management.
The committee has set a 10-year plan with the raised fund and works closely with the school to understand the funding needs of the students. Donors’ wishes are also respected when deciding funding allocation. The fund operates with full transparency—the committee prepares fund distribution and projected cash flow information to all alumni and school management. Every dollar raised is spent on the students—there is zero administrative cost thanks to volunteers and school support.
The operation of the WPD Fund has been ever evolving over the years based on the changing needs of the students, the impacts made using various ways of fund allocation and the effectiveness of attracting donation. The fund allocation can be categorized as follow:
- Financial assistance to needy students: 44%
- Recognition of high achievers: 36%
- Support for all-rounded development: 19%
At the first glance, one may think that financial assistance does not fit the objective of Whole Person Development. However, there were many cases that students fell through the government social security safety net, and without basic financial support, meaningful academic and development pursuits became very difficult. On the other hand, although the committee would also like to provide more support for all-rounded development, there simply were not enough initiatives to be funded. Well-run extracurricular programs need guidance expertise and sustainable support over the years to achieve results. Passionate and committed volunteers are sorely needed to help broaden the horizon for our students.
As the deployment of the raised funds will be completed in 2021, the committee is charting a new 10-year plan, making the WPD Fund into a long-term sustainable support for TWGSS students. The targets include raising 10 million HKD as the seed money by 2021, engaging more donors and student beneficiaries, and supporting more student and volunteer/donor initiatives. Please contact us if you are interested to learn more about WPD Fund and get involved!
