Our Missions
Ever since July 2012 when EWB-HK reshaped its missions, we invariably set out our work in line with the new missions, which are repeated here:
To accelerate betterment in life of disadvantaged communities and promote sustainable development through the empowerment of engineering means.
To enhance the capacity of Hong Kong's professionals and the generations to come contributing to the communities in need.
Our Objectives
- To pursue ways in bettering the life of disadvantaged communities by empowering them with engineering solutions on a non-profit making basis
- To work partnership with developing communities both within and outside Hong Kong, assisting them to gain access to the knowledge, resources and appropriate technologies they need to improve their livelihood from poverty and after natural disaster
- To pursue the promotion of sustainable development in daily life of any communities in need through the empowerment of engineering means;
- To provide engineering and technical supports to charitable and non-governmental organizations with similar objectives; and
- To build the capacity and increase the level of preparedness of Hong Kong professionals and their generations to come;
EWB-HK, as a member organization of EWB-International:
- We are meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals and UN Sustainable Development Goals
- We are endorsing the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- We are endorsing the Earth Charter
Organization Structure
EWB-HK is a volunteer-based organization and supported by Members and Volunteers from engineering and non-engineering backgrounds. It is an independent, non-governmental (NGO), non-profit making (NPO), non-political and non-religious organization. EWB-HK is now a member organization of EWB-International and The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS).
This is the organization chart:
Board
The Board of Directors is the highest decision-making body of EWB-HK. The daily operation of this organization, as well as the planning, management, execution and evaluation of our activities and projects, are responsible by our Committees. We aim to enhance the quality of organizational management and safety management, as well as to strengthen the capacity of our volunteers through closer communication amongst our volunteers and pro bono staff of the Board of Directors and Committees.
2021-23 Board of Directors (Volunteer basis)
Chairman
Ir Dr Edward CW Chan
Director
Mr Brian Fung
Ir George Cheng
Ir Dr Vincent Cheng
Mr Raymond Lopinski
Mr Raymond Wan
SECRETARY
Mr Lee Siu Hoi
Treasurer
Mr Janos Choy
Executive Committee
Apart from the Members and Board, EWB-HK consists of and supported by working Committees.
The Committees are made up of Members and Volunteers. It is a requirement that office bearers of Committees should be Members.
PROJECTS commiTTEE
Sam HM Chan, CEng
Chairman, Projects Committee
SECRETARIAT
Ms Camise Wong
Communication Manager
Ms Samantha Ho
Secretariat Executive
Ms Michelle Wong
Secretariat Officer
Our Advisors
Life Advisor
Ms Susanna Tam
Former Chairman
Engineers Without Borders (Hong Kong) 2010-2017
Honorary Advisor
Prof. Lee Chack-fan, GBS, JP
- President, Chu Hai College of Higher Education
- Former President, Hong Kong Academic of Engineering Science
- Former Vice-President, The University of Hong Kong
- Former Director, HKU SPACE
Prof. Stephen S.Y. Lau
- Honorary Professor, The University of Hong Kong
- Former Professor, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore
- Former Associate Dean, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong
Legal Advisor
Ms Kitty Ng
Advisor (Volunteer Training)
Mr Raymond C.W. Yeung
- Manager (Culture & Arts Services), Hong Kong Playground Association
Our History
Engineers Without Borders—Hong Kong (EWB-HK) was formed in the wake of the Sichuan earthquakes in May 2008. The appeal to the public gathered over two hundred professionals from the engineering and built environment sectors. From June 2008 to April 2009, EWB-HK sent teams of volunteer professionals to the quake areas 6 times. They assessed building damages, transferred skills on building stronger village houses to withstand earthquake, and carried out planning of village reconstruction with input from residents and local government.
In view of the huge amount of resources pumped into the quake areas by the central government of China, there was no room for EWB-HK to work for the cause it was primarily established for. Volunteers who joined EWB-HK for this same cause started to drift away. Working on some social projects in both Hong Kong and Sichuan with no clear direction did not help much to build up the organization. To inject life to this disintegrating body, the Board, together with Committee Heads in July 2012, reshaped the vision and missions of EWB-HK as they are now.
With the new direction in force, EWB-HK picked up momentum in development. Various Committees were formed to carry out projects that fulfil the new missions. When it was first founded in 2008, EWB-HK was registered under the Societies Ordinance. In the same year, it was approved as a charitable organization and exempted from tax under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (IRD File No. 91/9757). In 2015, EWB-HK changed its legal entity to a company limited. The new name is Engineers Without Borders (Hong Kong) Limited. Tax exemption was approved in the same year (IRD File No. 91/9757).
Annual Report
Newsletter and Anniversary Book
Support Us
EWB-HK aims at bridging pro bono engineers with beneficiaries on both organizational and individual bases. We value the professional uniqueness of our missions in Hong Kong as well as the collective and expanding intentions of our volunteers.
Apart from engineers, we also need volunteers from various professions or with diversified experiences to support the operation of and to develop EWB-HK. To be more specific, we need volunteers to take up project leader and coordinator roles as well as to provide technical backup, administrative support and relevant training to our volunteers. So if you are interested in joining us, please do so now.
Although EWB-HK is managed and operated by volunteers, funding is still one of the challenges we are facing. The income from membership fees is meant to pay off administrative costs only, which include employees, insurances, utilities, office and venue rentals, website construction and maintenance, etc.
The level of Membership fees collected fell far short of expenses even when we have no dedicated office and only one part-time employee. Since the current mode of operation burdens a few of the key roles in the organization, we need to break the bottlenecks by employing some staff members. In addition, to look for a set of premises to serve as an office and a place for volunteers to gather is also on the agenda. All these need money. Meanwhile, our projects in Hong Kong and overseas are currently operated on self-financed basis. However, we also welcome projects in some scale that will substantially improve the living of our target beneficiaries. Such projects, when they come by, may need capital costs.
How to support us?
Donate to us : for details, please check out the part on Donation.
Join us : as a Volunteer, and then a Member, and take up roles mentioned above.
E-mail: info@ewb.hk
Tel: (852) 5610 2200
Fax: (852) 3743 5737
Postal address: Unit B, 13/F, Prat Commercial Building, 17-19 Prat Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong