Students at American International School (AIS) in Hong Kong embraced the holiday spirit by dressing up to support those in need.
On December 15, students who donated at least HK$20 could wear clothes of their choice to school.
AIS holds a monthly Charitable Free Dress Day to support a range of causes. Every year, the December edition is dedicated to the Operation Santa Claus (OSC) School Fun4Funds Challenge, part of the annual fundraising campaign run by the South China Morning Post and RTHK.
School head Anita Simpson said this year’s celebration concentrated on raising funds to help those affected by the deadly fire in Tai Po last November.
“When we can do our part, even if it’s just a little bit to make the holiday season nicer for members of our community, that’s something we feel strongly about,” she said.
The school raised more than HK$33,000 last year, the highest total since partnering with OSC over 18 years ago.
Simpson emphasised the importance of teaching students the value of giving: “It’s a lifelong lesson: the more you give, the more you ultimately receive. There’s a fundamental beauty in helping someone.”
Among the pupils participating was Grade 12 student Keertidha Sundar, who wore a winter-blue outfit.
“It felt good to help those in need,” the 17-year-old said. “Hopefully, when we go to university or enter the workforce, we’ll be able to do similar things. When we have the money, we can use it for good.”
Grade Four teacher Gemma Cauchi explained that before each Free Dress Day, she introduced the beneficiaries to her students to ensure they understood the cause.
“They were really excited for the winter fair and knowing they were fundraising,” she said, adding that students were thrilled to see the donation box fill up.
“In a young student’s mind, all of these connections light up visually ... It really reflects the [core values of] love that AIS promotes.”
OSC, a flagship charity campaign in Hong Kong, officially launched in 1988 as a joint initiative between RTHK and SCMP.
Since then, OSC has raised more than HK$396 million and supported more than 365 charitable projects across Hong Kong. It has benefited more than 100,000 people and grown into one of Hong Kong’s most recognised and trusted charity campaigns.
Learn more about OSC here.
