Tell us about an object you care about

My special necklace! This necklace is special to me because I received it from my mother, which means a lot to me. Hence, I feel safe when I wear it because of the feeling of my mother’s spirit around me.

Tell us about a place in Hong Kong

Inspiration Lake

‘When I came to Hong Kong, my family and I went to Disneyland in the first place so we explored the area around there and we found this place enjoyable. This place means something special to me.’ 

Tell us about yourself

I am Mariz, one of the team members of Learning Together.

My personality is mostly to be kind, helpful, funny and energetic. My goal is to achieve a great learning process in my education in order for me to study in a medical school so that I can become a doctor in the future, I want to help others in improving their living habits. 

At Learning Together, the project I have been involved in is the English Program and I would like to share the highlights of my time at Learning Together to more people so they get to understand our organisation’s values and how it works. 

Tell us about your work at Learning together

The thing I liked the most through my experience at Learning Together is the team spirit of our members, as we tried to bring up more ideas to grow the team.  I would like to tell the future members of Learning Together that our team is the best for our engagement together to make everything perfect and on the right track.

Also, I would like to mention very special moments in Learning Together when we all had the best time hanging out together, as these moments became unforgettable memories. Because of this, I am very proud being part of the Learning Together team. Without them I would have never become this person today, I have grown up in thoughts and I have come to understand myself more than I used to—I felt valued in this place.

If Hong Kong was a human…

If Hong Kong was a human, it would be an independent woman.

Tell us about an object you care about

The Youth Spirit of Hong Kong Award 2020! I won this award dedicated to young people who have demonstrated a commitment to the community shown courage, or inspired others to persevere and to innovate.

Tell us about a place in Hong Kong

Star Ferry

This is the first place I went when I first arrived in Hong Kong. When I got over there I was really seeing something very new to me and that was the first view I have in Hong Kong. It stays in my mind until now. It was the feeling of ‘Wow I am entering a new life, a new chapter and adventure.’ Whenever I go there, I will think of my first day in Hong Kong. This place means a lot to me.

Tell us about yourself

I am the co-founder of a charity named Learning Together, which provides assistance to disadvantaged communities, by offering English classes, mentorship program to the young people and scholarships. I am also leading a team of ethnic minorities of 30 people to feed the homeless people around the city. I am a public speaker graduated from Resolve Foundation Hong Kong, and I have given speeches in various schools and organizations to raise awareness about racial equality.

Furthermore, I won the Youth Spirit of Hong Kong Award 2020 and I was also awarded the 2019 Loop Hong Kong 30 under 30, which recognizes me as one of the 30 people under the age of 30 who made an impact to Hong Kong. I am also the ambassador representing ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. I also provide Arabic translation services to non-profit organizations in Hong Kong. I have strong leadership skills and am an active member of my community.  

I want others to know about me that I am an ambassador of Ethnic minorities in HK and with the limitations that I had in my life I was able to achieve many things which is incredible to see. However, I want others to see me as an example of someone who did not give up. In whatever circumstances I face, I try my best to move forward with actions. 

Tell us about your work at Learning together

What projects were you involved in at Learning Together?

Managing English program, computer classes and summer workshops.

What would you like to tell future members of Learning Together?

To keep fighting kindly, legally for their rights at the same time contributing to the community with their limitations to prove that we are heroes in this city.

Tell us about an object you care about

It is a miniature copy of the Koran! It is, however, the last item I have among the items I brought with me from my home country. I’ve had it since I was fifteen years old. It was given to me by a dear friend as a memento of our childhood together when his family moved to a different city.

Tell us about a place in Hong Kong

The place I picked isn’t particularly special, but it is unforgettable.

I once took the wrong ferry during my sightseeing and got stuck in heavy rain and a T3 typhoon in Whampoa. It was my first day out in Hong Kong. I ended up spending nearly two hours wandering around in the rain, uncertain of where I was or where I was going, searching for an MTR station. As I was running round the place, I came across a memorable landmark: a white building that resembled a cruise ship. It struck me and stayed in my memory. I still go there sometime now to recall how strange and foreign this city once felt when I first arrived. 

Tell us about yourself

There is not much to know about me, but if there is one thing that defines me it would be my nomadic roots and upbringing.

I was taught early in life to always be forward-thinking and to assess challenges in a larger context. This has been a mechanism that allows me to approach current challenges as a finite problem with a solution rather than thinking of them as insurmountable odds. An outlook on life that my nomadic forefathers lived by. 

Tell us about your work at Learning together

What projects were you involved in at Learning Together?

I have been teaching English and Computer classes in Learning Together. I have taught English as a second language to adults who are new to Hong Kong, as well as leading a computer/programming class that introduces high school students to coding. 

Can you share the highlights of your time at Learning Together?

During my time at Learning Together, there are many highlights. Some involved educational experiences such as participating in a summer programming Bootcamp and a hackathon with Global Goals Jam. I enjoy most the ties I have with the Learning Together family. It’s worth remembering that the friendships we cultivated at LT will be with us long after many of us take different paths. 

What would you like to tell future members of Learning Together?

One thing to keep in mind, as our name implies, this is a place where everyone brings something to the table. We work together to empower one another to work towards our aspirations. In that spirit, it’s important as a first step we make sure we are putting our best forward. Be active, upfront, and involved so that we can build on our strengths as we work towards a fulfilled future for ourselves. 

If Hong Kong was a human…

If Hong Kong was a human, she would be a young twenty-something woman struggling between her family’s restrictive and traditional ties and her personal desires for autonomy to follow her own path. A young person weighing the possibility of autonomous selfhood against a predetermined future, two divergent options that could both have their own merit in pursuit of long-term prosperity. Outside influences further complicate her decisions, making it difficult to determine the right course of action.