Plan International Hong Kong Film Screening Event: He Named Me Malala Cindy Yeung, Charlene Tse and Jo Ngai Call on the Public to Support Girls’ Right

Plan International cares about girls’ right and has helped transform lives of 5 million girls since the launch of the “Because I am a Girl” campaign in 2012.

To kick-start the movement this year, Plan International Hong Kong presented a film screening event for the documentary – He Named Me Malala in the evening of 18 August.

Ms. Cindy Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of Emperor Watch & Jewellery cum Ambassador of “Because I am a Girl”, Ms. Charlene Tse and Ms. Jo Ngai, Ambassadors of “Because I am a Girl” attended the event. Through sharing their views on gender equality and their experience of visiting girls in developing countries, the three ambassadors called on the public to support girls’ right. Afterwards, all guests posed for pictures with pencils in their hands, implying our wish that all girls in developing countries could receive education and live life to the fullest.

Dr. Darwin Chen and Mr. Ralph Szeto, Board Members of Plan International Hong Kong, Ms Kanie Siu, CEO of Plan International Hong Kong,  Ms. Cindy Yeung, Ms. Charlene Tse and Ms. Jo Ngai, Ambassadors of “Because I am a Girl” posed for pictures with pencils in their hands.

Cindy appreciates Plan’s work very much and actively supports our events, for her husband Mr Alfred Cheung used to be Plan International’s beneficiary. “In many developing countries, girls face discrimination and cannot go to school. As a mother of three, I feel very sad about that. I hope more people can learn about girls’ right through Plan International Hong Kong’s events.” said Cindy.

Charlene, also a mother, is a dedicated supporter of “Because I am a Girl”. “I went to Shaanxi to visit my sponsored child Rong Rong with Plan International Hong Kong’s staff several years ago. Her living condition is very poor and her impaired vision due to an accident made her situation worse. Luckily, with the help from Plan, Rong Rong received an operation and got better. The livelihood of her community has also been improved.”

Dr. Darwin Chen, Board Members of Plan International Hong Kong, Ms. Cindy Yeung, Ms. Charlene Tse and Ms. Jo Ngai, Ambassadors of “Because I am a Girl” posed for pictures together.

On 21 August, Jo is going to visit some child brides in Cambodia with Plan International for the first time. “Knowledge can change people’s life and children should have the right to go to school. I think this visit is very meaningful. I hope more people can care about girls who are forced to get married and drop out of school at a young age. Let’s lend a helping hand and give more children the opportunity to enjoy school life,” said Jo.

Cindy Yeung, Charlene Tse and Jo Ngai called on the public to support girls’ right.

Each year, approximately 15 million girls under 18 are forced into marriage; that equals to 1 girl every 2 seconds. More shockingly, at present 62 million girls are not in school globally!  He Named Me Malala is a portrait of the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was attacked by a gunshot by the Taliban in 2012 for speaking out for girls’ education. The documentary recounts how the 15-year-old miraculously survived the attack and how the incident led her to become one of today’s leading girls’ right activists.

Malala once said, “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” Education is the best way to help girls break the cycle of poverty and change their life. Plan International Hong Kong hopes that through this film screening, more people will care about girls’ right and support education for girls.  With our concerted efforts, we can create a world that values girls, promotes their rights and ends injustice.

*Special thanks to voluntary photographer Jason Sung.