Chan Emebo Jimi Emenike's Story 

(Awardee of 23rd Recognition Ceremony)
Faculty of Law
LLB

Last year, Chan Emebo Jimi Emenike (LLB) won the Outstanding Service Awards for Tertiary Students. While being awarded in his freshman year, Emenike has a long history of volunteering. He joined the Boys' Brigade since primary school. Since then, servicing and volunteering have become part of his life. 

Amid Emenike’s prolific volunteering experiences, his service trip to rural village in Chiang Mai shines. Despite villagers’ humble financial circumstances, they showed hospitality to volunteers by serving the best ingredients they could find on dining tables. Seeing their impoverished living environment, Emenike and other volunteers wanted to build some community infrastructures to facilitate their lives. Yet, Emenike came to realise that he was imposing his views upon others. 

“When you can offer a helping hand, don’t be stingy with it.”

“As urban dwellers, we naturally think of a comprehensive infrastructure as something basic. But villagers there lead a happy life even in what we considered as an austere environment. Perhaps a sophisticated lifestyle is not what leading to their happiness. Our companionship is already the most heart-warming assistance to them,” Emenike said. In his future volunteering projects, Emenike learns to put himself in others’ shoes.

Other than being a member of the Boys’ Brigade, Emenike’s roles span from being a YDC Youth Ambassador, the President of the Hong Kong Outstanding Tertiary Students' Services Association to the President of Independent Clubs Association of HKUSU.

But what’s the motivation behind Emenike’s services? “When you can offer a helping hand, don’t be stingy with it.” He said, “It’s not just the people I helped benefit, I also learn a lot from them. I should make use of what I learnt to contribute to society.”

Written by:
Clare Wong
Year 4, Faculty of Arts
April 2020