Volunteer voices

When I first volunteered to assist with English tutoring, my goal was simply to offer a bit of extra support where it was needed. I certainly didn’t expect to walk away having learnt as much as I taught. Over the past two years, I had the privilege to support a bright, resilient student as she navigated her Secondary 1 and 2 curriculum.

Working together opened my eye to her steady, quiet determination. In class, we focused on the fundamentals as we worked closely through her school textbooks, exploring new vocabularies, practicing everyday synonyms, and patiently unpicking grammar rules step by step.

Understanding how exhausting long school days can be, I tried my best to keep our time together engaging and gentle. We watched short video clips to make distant chapters feel a little more approachable, and she kindly read textbook passages out loud with me. It was a modest approach, but reading together gradually built her comfort and fluency with English over time.

Seeing her steady effort and improvement over these two years was truly inspiring. While her growth in vocabulary and oral was incredible to witness, what moved me the most was seeing her grow just a little more confident in her abilities, and watching her face light up with a smile whenever she mastered a tricky concept on her own.

I am deeply grateful to Pay Love Forward for providing me with this valuable opportunity and trusting me to contribute in a small way. I have learnt a lot along the way. I understood that teaching is rarely about delivering grand lessons; it is about learning patience listening closely, and realising every student has their own unique pace and learning style.

It was a true privilege to share part of my student’s study journey, and I hope I can bring a tiny influence on how she can adopt to her most suitable study method that will serve her well for years to come.

I first knew Pay Love Forward in my first year of secondary school, during the COVID-19 pandemic. School closures suddenly made me lose the sense of being a student. Before online classes were officially arranged, that month-long gap was a huge setback for my studies. And even after we switched to remote learning, I often found it hard to stay focused. It was right then that I joined Pay Love Forward’s program to learn English through online lessons. Although the teachers were volunteers, they were incredibly patient and delivered engaging classes. Because my English was weak, these volunteer tutors could tailor their teaching to my level much more closely than my school teachers could. Thanks to Pay Love Forward, I who used to hate English didn’t give up on the subject.

By the time I reached secondary 3, I met a teacher at Pay Love Forward who would go on to change my life. The fact that I kept working hard at English and didn’t slack off is largely due to this organization. I secondary 4, I took on a new role that I became a volunteer tutor myself, teaching English to a Primary 5 student via online classes. I had transformed from a recipient of help into someone trying to help others. And that is precisely the core spirit of Pay Love Forward: passing love forward like a relay baton. I am truly glad to be part of that chain, receiving warmth and then passing it on. Sometimes, helping others brings even more joy than being helped. To this day, this remains the most meaningful volunteer work I have ever done. It is because love is passed on like a torch that the world becomes a better place. And this isn’t about inheritance, it’s about sharing. You give me a spark, I give you a spark, and together we all grow warmer.

I am deeply grateful to Pay Love Forward for inviting me to share my story. I hope there will be many more such stories of love passing forward, and I wish this meaningful organization all the best for the future.

Over my two years with Pay Love Forward, the most meaningful part has been watching my students’ attitudes toward learning shift. Many started out feeling overwhelmed or even resentful toward learning English, but through our Zoom sessions, they built confidence and grew to love the language. Being able to use my teaching skills to give back to underprivileged students in Hong Kong has been a privilege, and I’m so proud to be part of the PLF family.

For the past three years, I've been a volunteer teacher at PLF, an NGO supporting children in need. I run English cooking workshops where kids learn through creativity, movement, and fun—picking up everyday food vocabulary while gaining confidence in speaking English.

What touches me most is seeing children who once disliked English gradually become excited about learning. They discover new talents, build friendships, and grow in ways that are truly inspiring.

This meaningful work relies on donations to continue. I would be truly grateful if you would consider supporting PLF—every contribution, makes a real difference in these children's lives.

I am grateful to the pupils for this wonderful experience of mutual learning and growth.‍

感謝同學們，讓我們共同經歷了一段美好而充實、教學相長的成長旅程。

It has been amazing to watch my students develop their passion for learning over the past few years. They have gained confidence through interactive activities instead of traditional textbooks and classrooms.