Founder and chairman of Chinese electronics company TCL, Li Dongsheng, and his wife, Wei Xue, established Huameng Fund and TCL Charity Foundation. They promote education, poverty alleviation, and are committed to integrating technology with philanthropy. In an interview with CAPS, they discussed their family’s philanthropic aspirations, giving strategies, development plans, and views on family philanthropy.

TCL 创始人、董事长李东生和妻子魏雪先后创立了华萌基金和 TCL公益基金会，关注教育与扶贫，并致力于将科技与公益慈善相结合。在一次与 CAPS 的访谈中，他们分享了家族慈善的初心、捐赠策略和未来发展方向，以及对家族参与公益慈善的看法。

CAPS: What was the motivation in setting up the Huameng Fund and TCL Charity Foundation? What do you think of their unique functions and positioning?
创建华萌基金和 TCL 基金会的初心是什么？你们如何看待它们的独特功能和定位？

Li: I was part of the first generation of university students after the National College Entrance Examination was restored. My education transformed my future and taught me the importance of education in impoverished regions. Increasing national caliber is strongly linked to mandatory education, so we are committed to supporting education in impoverished areas as best as we can. Our goal is to provide financial assistance to outstanding students in these areas so they can complete their studies and compete on the same level with their peers for college admission.

李东生：我是恢复高考后的第一届大学生，知识改变了我的命运，也令我深深体会到贫困地区教育事业的重要，它关系到义务教育的进一步发展和民族素质的提高。我们愿意在有能力的情况下，通过支持贫困地区的教育事业尽绵薄之力回馈社会。希望通过资助，这些贫困地区的优秀学子能够顺利完成学业，有机会和同龄人站在高考的同一起跑线上。

Wei: Several generations of our family have been businessmen and have a legacy of doing good. Influenced by this, I saved and donated to the country even as a student, aiming to make a small but meaningful contribution. Inspired by Li’s lifelong aspiration to “give back to the world,” we established the Huameng Fund in 2007 after we married, with a primary focusing on supporting high school students in poverty-stricken areas. In 2021, we established the Huameng Charity Foundation, operating projects with a more professional approach. In the future, our goal is not only to excel and expand our charitable initiatives, but also to ensure that the next generation inherit family philanthropy. This is not solely about passing down wealth but, more importantly, about passing down the philanthropic spirit.

魏雪：我们家族前面几代人经商，就有做慈善的传统，耳濡目染下我在上学时候，也是会省下自己的生活费捐给国家希望能尽自己的绵薄之力。东生青年时代就有“达则兼济天下”的志向，所以婚后我们在 2007 年就成立华萌基金后，开始聚焦教育领域的投入, 2021 年正式成立华萌慈善基金会，以更专业的运营模式开展“华萌”公益项目。未来我们除了要把慈善的事情不断做好做大，同时也要让我们的孩子，我们的下一代将这种家族慈善精神的基因传承下去，不单单只是财富的传承，慈善精神的传承更为重要。

Li:  TCL, along with multiple other industries, thrived during the early 1990s in tandem with China’s reform and opening-up, and engaged in charitable activities.  However, these initiatives were not managed systematically. In 2012, the TCL Charity Foundation was established by TCL Group, marking the beginning of the professional operation of philanthropic projects. The Foundation gained substantial hands-on experience in areas such as education, poverty alleviation, technology, culture and sports, disaster prevention and control, and volunteerism. The projects have been successful. 2022 marked the TCL Charity Foundation’s 10th anniversary. As TCL transforms from a manufacturing company into a high-tech enterprise, we hope to leverage technology to empower philanthropy.

李东生：而 TCL 作为伴随改革开放成长壮大的企业，早在 90 年代初期，TCL参与各种内容的公益事业，但总体并未成体系化运作。于是 2012 年，在 TCL 集团的推动下，TCL 公益基金会成立，开启公益专业化道路，在教育、扶贫济困、科技、文化体育、灾害防疫、志愿者活动等领域积累了丰富的实践经验，也产出了丰硕的项目成果。2022 年是 TCL 公益基金会成立十周年。TCL 公益基金会的发展离不开企业自身战略的发展，TCL 从制造企业转型为高科技企业，我们希望借助企业科技优势为公益慈善赋能，探索科技与公益融合共生。

Founded by corporate donations, the TCL Charity Foundation has strong financial and corporate resources, as well as greater social responsibility. The practice of corporate social responsibility has a positive effect on the sustainable development of the company, for example, it can develop doing good culture within the organization, encourage more employees to take part in the charity activities, and attract more talents to join TCL. When employees find fulfilment in their jobs and work in a supportive environment, they are better equipped to care for their families. They are also more inclined to contribute to society, making donations, assisting vulnerable populations, and serving their communities however they can.

TCL 公益基金会是由企业捐赠统筹建立的基金会，拥有企业强大的资源及资金支持，其承担的社会责任则更大。企业践行社会责任对企业可持续发展有正向的作用，其中很重要的一部分功能是能够营造企业向善的文化氛围，带动更多员工参与慈善公益事业，吸引更多人加入 TCL。员工有一份好的工作以及良好的工作环境，他们能够照顾好家庭，同时也愿意为社会做出更大的贡献，履行更多义务，比如捐赠、帮助弱势群体，做力所能及的事情助力解决社会所需。

CAPS: What are your donation strategies and focus areas?
你们的捐赠策略和重点关注的领域是什么？

Li: The development of family foundations and funds occurs in stages, addressing urgent needs at different stages of a society’s development. We have tried to identify and address any gaps in the overarching national policies that are not adequately addressed.

李东生：家族慈善基金和基金会的发展是有阶段性，在社会发展的不同阶段助力解决社会所急需的各类问题。我们需要做的更多的是弥补、寻找国家大的政策下没有顾及到的领域。

Initially our projects prioritized youth education, offering financial aid to students. To date, 1,286 students have earned “Huameng Scholarships” through individual effort and determination. More than 40% have been admitted to prestigious universities. This project has invested 80 million yuan (approximately US$11.1 million) in youth education. We encourage students to cultivate diverse skills and qualities. In recent years, our projects have expanded to higher and cultural education. We made donations to my alma mater, the South China University of Technology, funding the construction of teaching buildings and setting up funds for teaching excellence and budding scientific research talent, with total donations amassing 140 million yuan (approximately US$19.5 million).

成立之初，华萌基金专注于青少年教育，主要是以资金资助方式帮助他们解决学习、生活中遇到的实际问题，目前，已有 1286 名学生凭借自身的努力和坚持，获得了华萌奖学金。其中近 40% 的学生进入了北京大学、清华大学、中国人民大学、复旦大学等 985、211 类院校；华萌在教育领域投入的资金累计达 8000 万元。随着项目发展，我们启动素质发展类活动，如华萌夏令营、华萌星课堂等活动，鼓励学生提升综合素质发展。近些年，华萌的教育也向高等教育和文化教育延伸；先后向我的母校华南理工大学捐建教学楼，奖教学金、青年科技人才的科研基金等，累计捐赠金额达 1.4 亿元。

Wei: Since 2021, a dedicated professional team manages our projects, and we have recalibrated our strategic direction to emphasize cultural and artistic development. The Huameng Charity Foundation has cultural and artistic resources. It is led by famed violinist Siqing Lü, who serves as the foundation’s director. Through a long-term and steadfast partnership with the Central Conservatory of Music, the Foundation is dedicated to leveraging these valuable resources and expanding support for art and culture, maximizing the impact of donations.  We hope that the next generation can participate in the promotion of cultural and artistic philanthropy, continuing the legacy of this charitable spirit.

魏雪：2021 年，华萌慈善基金会正式成立，华萌迎来新的发展阶段，由专业化团队进行项目管理，并重新调整战略方向，重点关注文化艺术类发展。华萌慈善基金会拥有丰富的文化艺术资源，著名小提琴演奏家吕思清是华萌慈善基金会理事，我们与中央音乐学院建立了长久稳定的公益合作关系，华萌希望将这些资源效益发挥最大化，同时加大在文化艺术领域的捐赠投入。我们也希望下一代可以参加到文化艺术的慈善推广领域中来，同时将这份慈善精神传承下去。

TCL Charity Foundation will continue to focus on four primary areas: technology, education, culture and sports, and targeted assistance. Leveraging TCL’s leading technological abilities, we explore the integration of technology and philanthropy. We foster high-quality educational resources to nurture young talents, while also promoting innovation in culture and sports and spreading philanthropic values. Through sustained and targeted assistance, we strive for social equity and harmonious development. Our ultimate goal is to build a comprehensive and interconnected philanthropic ecosystem within TCL.

TCL 公益基金会持续聚焦科技、教育、文化体育及定向帮扶四大领域，凭借 TCL 领先科技，探索科技与公益融合共生；深耕优质教育资源，为青年才俊成长铺路搭桥；弘扬文体创新精神，让公益的价值观广泛传播；持续定向帮扶，助力社会公平与和谐发展，致力于构建一套完整的、循环的 TCL 公益生态系统。

CAPS: Can you describe the day-to-day operation and management of your charitable projects?
请分别介绍华萌基金和 TCL 基金会的日常运作机制，例如主要管理方、参与方和决策等层面。

Wei: The Huameng Fund was a special fund under the China Youth Development Foundation. After making donations and collaborating with the China Youth Development Foundation, we jointly executed projects, and determined the recipients and directions of funding. Following the establishment of the Huameng Charity Foundation in 2021, similar to the TCL Charity Foundation, both foundations have developed corresponding operating management systems in compliance with regulations. This involves establishing a board of directors, which meets annually to review the past year’s activities and approve the current year’s work plan, as well as a secretariat to supervise project executions.

魏雪：华萌基金早期是在中国青少年发展基金会下设立的专项基金，拥有单独的基金使用管理制度，我们向青基会捐款，确定捐资群体及方向后，和青基会共同进行项目的执行。2021 年华萌慈善基金会成立之后，和 TCL 公益基金会一样，两个基金会都依照基金会管理条例相关规定制定相应的运营管理制度，包括设立理事会、监事、秘书处，每年都会召开理事会，对上一年年度工作进行总结，对本年度工作计划进行审定，而具体的项目开展执行则由秘书处进行运营管理。

CAPS: As parents, how do you feel about your children’s involvement in family philanthropy?
作为父母，你们对下一代参与家族慈善事业的看法是什么？

Li & Wei: It is our responsibility as parents to make sure that the next generation understands the efforts and accomplishments of the generation before them. We want them to be aware of the impact of our philanthropic work. Philanthropy runs deep in our family as a cherished tradition: our ancestors’ philanthropic endeavors have consistently inspired us, motivating us to gradually embrace and actively engage in philanthropy ourselves. Our aspiration is for the next generation to recognize and appreciate our philanthropic endeavors but also actively participate in ongoing projects. By doing so, they will continue the legacy of benevolence within our family and extend positive impact on the people around them.

李东生 & 魏雪：作为父母，我们需要让下一代了解、知道他们的家族、父母做过什么，正在做什么。慈善是我们家族的传统，我们的父母、祖辈们长期所做的慈善义举时刻影响着我们，我们才能切切实实将慈善一步步落到实处。因此我们也希望下一代能够认可我们的做法，以实际行动参与到正在做的项目中来，将家族的向善之心不断传递给身边的人。

We have encouraged our children to think independently, observe, and take on leadership roles in charitable projects. By consistently engaging in philanthropic activities, they will inherit our philanthropic philosophy. By cultivating a positive, healthy, and optimistic worldview and values, children can enhance their leadership abilities, inspire greater participation in philanthropy, and become exemplary individuals who care for themselves and society, and contribute to humanity’s wellbeing.

孩子们能够拥有独立思考、观察的能力，创造属于他们独立领导完成的公益慈善项目，持之以恒地参与公益慈善事业，将华萌理念基因传承下去。形成积极、健康、向上的人生观和价值观，提升领导力，带动更多人参与公益慈善事业，最终成为对自己负责任、对社会有爱心、对人类有贡献的优秀公民。

CAPS: What is the significance of philanthropy and charity to your family?
你们如何看待公益慈善对您家庭的意义？

Wei: My mother often taught me, “A family that accumulates goodness will always have blessings.” In this age of uncertainty, personal monetary wealth comes and goes, but the spirit of serving the people and the public will be perpetuated from one generation to the next. My maternal grandfather was the prototype of the TV drama “Da Zhai Men” – the 15th generation descendant of the “Bai Jingyu Pharmaceutical Company,” Bai Ruiqi. Through generations of diligence, our ancestors achieved prosperity for our family. As successful as they became, they continued to shoulder their responsibilities and provide relief for the poor. Being raised in such a benevolent family sowed the seed of charity in my heart from an early age.

魏雪：我的母亲时常教导我：“积善之家必有余庆。”在这个充满不确定性的时代，个人的财富有聚有散，但为民为公的精神将代代传承。我的外祖父是电视剧《大宅门》的原型——“白敬宇药行”的第十五代传人白瑞启，祖辈通过辛苦积累让家族富甲一方，在成功后，也从未忘记过挑起责任的重担。他们数十年开粥厂救济贫者，设慈幼院收养孤童，捐资办学校，为妇女办编席厂，并在饥荒年间救助穷苦百姓度过灾难。在这样怀抱向善之心的家庭氛围下，慈善的种子早早地种在了我的心中。

As a mother of two, I aspire to impart my mother’s educational philosophy to them. By actively participating in philanthropy, I seek to set a positive example and imbue the next generation with a deep sense of compassion and responsibility. We believe that for any family with a historical legacy, the secret code to sustainable prosperity lies in philanthropy and public welfare.

作为两个孩子的母亲，我也希望将妈妈的教育理念在两个孩子身上传承下去，通过慈善让上一辈树立乐善好施的楷模，让下一代富有同情心、责任感以及建立正确的价值观。我们相信，对于任何一个拥有历史传承的家族来说，能使基业长青的核心密码，必是慈善和公益。

CAPS: What advice do you have for other families who wish to be involved in philanthropy and charity?
对于其他希望继续深度参与开展公益慈善事业的家族，您有哪些建议？

Li & Wei: As corporate citizens, it is imperative to integrate businesses’ sustainable development with societal progress. Corporations must fulfill their social responsibilities and take care of people in the long run. Furthermore, they should move away from excessive energy use, pollution, and unreasonable business practices, and focus more on sustainable development and social responsibility.

李东生 & 魏雪：企业作为社会公民，要将企业的可持续发展与社会的发展相融合，要重视人类长久福祉，努力践行企业公民责任，同时要清楚现代企业发展趋势，摆脱高耗能、高污染、以不合理的经营方式和代价换取利益的生产方式，更关注自身可持续发展与社会责任。

Focus on family wealth inheritance and the philanthropic spirit gene. Inheriting family wealth plays an important role in fostering proper wealth values within the family, so you must establish robust financial mechanisms for wealth transfer and ensuring culture and philanthropy continuity. Provide education and influence for the second and third generations. Foster a more sophisticated understanding of philanthropy and charity, actively participate in philanthropic endeavors, and collaboratively cultivate a culture of benevolence in society.

关注家族财富的传承以及公益慈善精神基因的传承。家族财富传承的意义在于树立家族对于财富的正确价值观，要做好财富传承的合理财务机制，做好文化、慈善精神的传承以及对二代、三代相关的教育和影响。拥有更先进的慈善观、公益观，更积极地关注慈善、参与慈善事业，一起推动社会形成向善的文化。

We should adapt to the trends in social development and avoid going against them. We need to understand society’s needs and solve social issues. Creating commercial value for society as a business is different from solving social problems addressed by philanthropy. Social problems cannot be solved overnight; they require persistence and professional management. Philanthropy is like a long-distance race, and immediate returns are difficult. It cannot be sustained solely by enthusiasm, but requires sincerity, perseverance, and adherence to social development laws. Philanthropic development must be sustainable for the long term.

顺应社会发展趋势，不要逆流而行。要了解社会需求解决社会问题，企业为社会创造商业价值，与慈善事业所解决的社会问题是不一样的。社会问题不是一朝一夕就可以解决的，需要持之以恒并投入专业化运营。做公益像一场持久的长跑，很难在短期看到回报，仅靠热情是没法坚持的，它需要真心，更需要毅力，同时也需要遵循社会发展规律，谋求公益的可持续发展。

The Prosperity Index aims to help identify specifics action to be taken to contribute to strengthening the pathways from poverty to prosperity across 167 countries, as well as providing a roadmap as nations chart their way through and out of the pandemic.

2023 edition: Read it here.

2021 edition: Read it here.

2020 edition: Read it here.

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Professor Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood is the Executive Director of Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, hosted at Sunway University, Malaysia. Established in 2021, the Centre focuses on the climate emergency, creating healthy cities and achieving sustainable food systems, recognizing the centrality of good governance, effective communications and an education revolution to effect long-term system level changes to the relationship between planet and people. It forms part of Sunway Group’s focus on achieving sustainable development in Malaysia and fostering regional cooperation for environmental action.

CAPS spoke to Dr. Jemilah in late 2022 to learn more about planetary health – the intersection of human health, planetary health and sustainable resilience – and the role of private social investment in addressing existential crises in the Asian region.

CAPS: Dr. Jemilah, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Could you start by explaining the relationship between the health of people and the health of the environment?

Dr. Jemilah Mahmood: It’s abundantly clear by the events of the last three years that the health of humanity is intrinsically linked to the health of the planet. There are limits to the amount of stress the planet can take before we start to experience systemic collapse, until those tipping points that science is telling us to be worried about are reached. When we start transgressing those boundaries there is a massively negative impact on the systems that are important for humanity: health, food, water, energy. This damage in turn impacts on our economic well-being, our social cohesion, gender relations, equality, education, everything. One event can generate cascading crises, as we saw during the pandemic when we experienced this up close and personal. There are so many things that are affected when health is not protected.

CAPS: That sounds incredibly complex.

Dr. Jemilah Mahmood: It’s complex because, when it comes down to it, everything in nature is connected. The disconnection is with us – we are not connected anymore. This is because our political, economic and social systems have evolved in ways which are simply not sustainable, not respecting the limits of the Earth’s ability to provide for us, to clean up our messes, to process our trash and the toxins we create, to protect us from poorly thought through development choices. And it’s starting to more immediately touch upon a lot of sensitivities. For example, in Malaysia, the massive flooding in late 2021, generated a huge tension in politics. People felt that the government wasn’t taking care of them. People didn’t talk about climate change until it impacted them, until the triple crisis of the pandemic, the floods and then economic recession became very personal.

There is no escaping the fact that human beings drive environmental and planetary destruction, whether through their own consumer behaviors, though silent acquiescence to damage caused by big businesses and corrupt politicians or simply through participating and accepting the poorly thought through development decisions our leaders and private sector managers make – decisions that don’t take into account planetary boundaries or respect for nature. So, we are trying to get people to flip it and see things from a different perspective.

CAPS: How easy or difficult has it been for you to get people to shift that mindset?

Dr. Jemilah Mahmood: Every crisis provides opportunities. In the immediate aftermath of disasters it’s easier for us to talk to governments, to say, “Here’s the situation, you need to act.” The pandemic provided a significant opportunity to open dialogue on the need for more sustainable change and better risk management. The government has included planetary health and climate change in its development plans. The caretaker Prime Minister at the time called for a planetary health roadmap. We have a sustainability centre, bringing the SDGs into our development planning, and we’re setting up a sustainability fund so that we can look at what innovations can happen at the community level to drive sustainable transformation. It is still tricky, but it is not impossible.

I think that everyone needs to use this opportunity, making sure we don’t forget that the pandemic showed us the need for speed, to keep driving forward the transformational change that must happen now, especially because governments and people have so many competing priorities. For the normal person on the street, it is about, “How do I bring food to the table?”, and for politicians, it’s about, “How do I survive?”. For businesses, “How do I make money?”. Doing business well and right means good business outcomes. For governments, making the right policy decisions will ensure better political survival and thriving. But the ultimate driver of positive change needs to be us – the people. Changes in our behaviors will be reflected in changes in our institutions which will generate change in our interactions with the Earth.

CAPS: We often hear people say that sustainability and climate change seem too big and too complicated, and it’s difficult to know where to start. How would you respond to that concern?

Dr. Jemilah Mahmood: There’s no short-term or easy solution to this. This is going to be hard work for a long time to come – but we’re running out of time to get started. In my opinion, the most important thing is education. How do we build an awareness of the importance of the environment, of sustainability, of planetary health? It needs to start from a very young age, in schools.

At the University, we prioritized incorporating planetary health as a central theme, no matter what discipline you are in. We are piloting a course now, that will become mandatory from 2024. Every student entering Sunway University will need to complete a seven-week course on planetary health and community service before they graduate. In the process of educating people, you create greater awareness and develop leadership skills.

We also run a lot of youth engagement activities. I think that’s a factor in how we change things in the long term, through young people. They already know this is important. They know that their generation is facing an existential crisis. We give them the tools and the skills so that they are better able to handle it, but also build that transformative innovation that is required to develop solutions for us all.

CAPS: What role can philanthropists play in supporting businesses and communities to take action on planetary health? 

Dr. Jemilah Mahmood: I think philanthropy would do well to increase its focus on impact. That’s where the real value for money lies. But a lot of the time, philanthropy is not strategic. For example, when there’s a crisis, everybody pours money into relief, but funders are less willing to provide money that helps to prevent these crises from happening in the first place. I want to see philanthropists think about strategy and impact, more intelligent theories of change, and long-term progress.

Philanthropy also has such an important role to play in building institutions. I would love for our Centre to have endowments to help us do research and build the evidence to change society through education and influencing policies. We also want to influence businesses, including SMEs, to look at how they can innovate and to help them become more aware of their environmental impact. We have to get people to see that protecting the environment is good business and good FOR business.

In 2004, Li Kemei and her husband Tang Xiuguo (President of Sany Group) established the Deqing Education Special Fund followed by the Beijing Deqing Foundation in 2016, CAPS spoke to Li Kemei in 2021 to learn more about her story of promoting rural music education. 

2004年，李克梅和丈夫唐修国（三一集团总裁）发起成立了德清教育专项基金；2016年，夫妇两人又发起成立了北京德清公益基金会。2021年6月,  CAPS与李克梅女士进行了一次线上对话，希望了解她推动德清基金会做乡村音乐教育的故事。 

CAPS: Can you share with us the philanthropic work of your organization?
能否与我们分享贵机构的公益事业？ 

Li Kemei: The Deqing Foundation focuses on rural music education. We chose a specific entry point – vocal training for children. Our goal is to enable every rural child to receive quality music education and illuminate their hearts through their voices.  

李克梅：德清基金会的定位是一个小而美的基金会，我们聚焦在乡村音乐教育，选择了一个非常小的切入口——合唱，希望通过这个支点，撬动各方力量，实现“让每一个乡村孩子都能接受有质量的音乐教育”的愿景，用童声照亮童心。 

Focusing on education, particularly music education, is a long-term investment that may not show immediate results. However, we believe that we are laying the groundwork for future success. As we say in Chinese, “You must prepare the soil before planting seeds.” 

聚焦教育领域，尤其是音乐教育领域，意味着我们选择了一条短时间看不到明显效果的路，但是没关系，我们不着急，我们做的就是润物细无声的工作，就像土壤板结时，总要有人先做一些松土工作，苗子才能慢慢长出来。 

We have been working hard over the years to create an ecosystem for rural education. Non-profit organizations focusing on rural education cannot work in silos. It’s essential to integrate our efforts with the local education ecosystem and to support local education workers, such as education foundations, education bureaus, principals, and teachers, with new ideas, mechanisms, and resources. 

多年下来，我一直坚持一点，乡村的教育有它的生态，公益组织帮扶乡村教育，不能孤立地做，了解、融入到当地的教育生态很有必要，通过新的理念、机制和资源来激发当地教育工作者（教育局、教育基金会、校长和老师们）的活力非常重要。 

CAPS: Is there any connection between your philanthropy and Sany Group’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts?
请问您的慈善事业和三一的企业社会责任是否有关联？若有，您认为两者之间的互动关系是怎么样的？ 

Li Kemei: The two are closely linked. As the president of Sany Group, my husband Tang Xiuguo has a mission to fulfill the company’s social responsibilities. A major part of Sany Group’s CSR is conducted through the Sany Foundation which aims to drive innovation on important social issues. As members of the family, we have chosen to focus on music education philanthropy as our intersection point. For example, every summer, we invite at least a hundred village teachers to Changsha for intensive training. This would not be possible without the comprehensive support of Sany Group, which provides catering, accommodation and logistics. 

李克梅：唐修国作为三一集团的总裁，履行社会责任也是他的使命；从个人和家族出发，我们选择了一个较小的切入口，聚焦在音乐教育公益，我们做的是小事，只能说是三一企业社会责任大版图中的一点补充。德清基金会最初起源于我和先生回馈家乡、回馈社会的想法。我们认为，一个人经营好了自己的家庭，在自己的能量半径内为家乡，为社会，为国家做些力所能及的事情是时代赋予我们的使命。从2015年基金会聚焦音乐教育公益开始，我们的能量半径逐渐越拓越宽，这离不开三一的支持。每年暑期我们都会邀请乡村师生到长沙参加集中培训，动辄几百人，没有三一集团在食住行提供支持，我们是没有底气做的。

CAPS: Are there any philanthropic projects that have inspired your work?
请问您是否能与我们分享一个您认为最为成功的公益项目？ 

Li Kemei: Yes, one project that I find particularly inspiring is the El Sistema project, also known as the Venezuelan National Youth Orchestra System. Venezuela was the largest oil producer and exporter in South America during the ‘50s and ’60s, but there was a significant wealth disparity in the country. Many people were unemployed, leading to social unrest and an increase in juvenile crime rates. In 1975, Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu launched the “Music Society Movement” and established the first youth orchestra in Venezuela. Two years later, this orchestra achieved impressive results in international music competitions held in the UK, which caught the attention of the Venezuelan government. In 1977, the government supported the establishment of the State Foundation for the National System of Youth and Infant Orchestras of Venezuela (FESNOJIV), hoping to influence society through music education. 

李克梅：德清基金会主要聚焦在音乐教育领域，所以更多地关注这个类别的公益项目。我个人非常喜欢委内瑞拉国立青少年管弦乐团系统这个项目。委内瑞拉是南美洲最大的石油生产和出口国，但国内贫富差距巨大，特别是在上世纪五六十年代，全球石油生产过剩的背景下，大量底层人民失业，社会动荡，青少年犯罪率不断攀升。1975年，阿布莱坞博士发起“音乐社会运动”，组建委内瑞拉第一支青少年管弦乐团，2年后，这支乐团在英国阿伯丁举办的国际音乐赛事中获得好成绩，由此受到政府关注。1977年，政府支持成立委内瑞拉国立青少年管弦乐团系统基金会，希望通过音乐教育影响社会。 

This project was successful for two reasons. First, the project has a well-designed structure that makes it actionable and sustainable. The project’s goal is clear, not only to cultivate musicians but also to instill a sense of responsibility, happiness, and passion for music, while becoming a contributing member of society. The project achieves this through a pyramid-shaped talent cultivation system, where children progress through choir, children’s orchestra, youth orchestra, and a professional orchestra. Group-based lectures solve the problem of insufficient teachers and help young people develop strong values. Peer teaching is also encouraged which helps improve the efficiency of rehearsals and creates a pool of future teachers. 

之所以觉得这个项目成功有两个方面：一是项目本身体系设计科学，可行性强且能可持续地执行下去。首先，项目的目标非常清晰，并不是培养音乐家，而是培养有责任感、幸福感，热爱音乐，对社会有贡献的公民。围绕这个目标，项目设计了金字塔培养体系，以社区为中心集中授课，从3岁开始接受登记入团，逐步从合唱团、少儿乐团、青少年管弦乐团、专业乐团的阶梯式路径培养青少年。团队一起接受授课既能缓解教师不足的问题，也对于青少年形成正确的三观有极大帮助，同时项目还提倡“同辈教学”，高级团队学生有义务担任初级团队的指导，这样不仅有助于提高日常排练效率，让乐团氛围更加轻松友爱，同时还培养了未来的教师储备资源。 

Second, this project can be replicated. The project’s management model is top-down, where foundations can establish community centers and provide funding for their basic operations. Community centers can utilize societal resources and parent groups to raise 20% of the funding needed. They can also maintain close contact with companies, families, and young people in the community. The project’s management model has significantly reduced the juvenile crime rate in the community and improved the living environment. As of 2017, more than 300 community centers have been established, providing systematic music education to 350,000 young people every year, which is 1% of Venezuela’s population. Over 40 countries and regions worldwide have drawn inspiration from this project when creating their own models. 

另一个项目的成功点在于它的可复制性，它的管理模式为自上而下，通过基金会在全国各城市建立社区中心，并拨款保证社区基本运营，同时社区中心通过各自的社区资源、家长群体等接受社会捐助，自筹20%左右的经费，与社区内的公司、家庭、青少年保持密切联系，有研究表明该项目所在社区的青少年犯罪率显著降低，这也同时改善了社区生活环境。项目的管理模式决定了它可以有效地复制到委内瑞拉其他社区，截至2017年，委内瑞拉建立了超过300个社区中心，每年35万青年能接受到体系化的音乐教育，这一数字占委内瑞拉人的1/100。全球有40多个国家和地区复制了或参考了该项目，建立了各自的青少年管弦乐团系统。 

CAPS: How has this project influenced your work?
这个项目对您的公益事业有什么样的启发？ 

Li Kemei: I think that learning from the execution and actual effect of the El Sistema project is very valuable. It has inspired me to think about how our “Happy Chorus 3+1 – the Promotion of Choral Art in Rural Middle & Primary Schools” project can benefit more rural teachers and students. A choir can also help alleviate rural children’s loneliness and boost their confidence and happiness. My country has a strong tradition of choral singing, particularly in singing patriotic songs, which provides a good foundation for the choral community. 

李克梅：这个项目不管在执行还是效果上，都是很值得学习的，这不禁让我想到我们自己的“快乐合唱 3+1—乡村中小学合唱艺术推广”公益项目，如何让更多乡村师生受益，是我一直在思考的。与乐团一样，合唱团也是团体艺术，有助于缓解乡村孩子们的孤独情绪，帮助他们更自信更快乐地成长。且我国一直有红歌合唱的传统，合唱群众基础较好。 

The “Happy Chorus 3+1” project may seem complicated, but it has a simple underlying logic, consisting of three modules: building a teacher training system to help deliver excellent music classes, providing a chorus performance platform to accompany children’s growth, and setting up a research and exchange platform to promote rural aesthetic education development. As of December 31, 2022, the “Happy Chorus 3+1” project has trained 8,410 music teachers, hosted 5 “Happy Chorus 3+1” public benefit concerts, and successfully conducted “Primary and Secondary School Chorus Performances” in 14,970 classes across 763 primary and secondary schools in 19 counties across three provinces, benefiting 863,577 students. 

 “快乐合唱3+1”这个项目看起来复杂，但其实底层逻辑很简单，分三个模块：构建教师培训体系帮助上好音乐课，提供合唱展演舞台陪伴孩子成长，搭建研究交流平台推动乡村美育发展。截至2022年12月31日，“快乐合唱3+1”项目培训了8410人次音乐教师，举办了5场“快乐合唱3+1”公益音乐会，在三省19县763所中小学14,970个班级顺利开展了“中小学合唱展演”，惠及863,577名中小学生。 

We started with the project design and management model, aiming to create a stepped choral growth system and music teacher training program that is suitable for China. We also want to develop a platform that showcases the project’s achievements in multiple areas, intending to provide every rural child with quality music education. 

我们从项目设计和项目管理模式着手， 希望能通过打造适合中国国情的梯级合唱团成长体系、阶梯式音乐教师培训体系和多维成果展示平台，让每一个乡村孩子都能接受有质量的音乐教育。 

It is an honor to be interviewed by CAPS, and I hope that this opportunity will enable more people to see how foundations in China are promoting the popularization and development of music education through the chorus charity program. 

这次非常荣幸能够接受亚洲公益事业研究中心（CAPS）的访谈，希望以此契机也能让更多人看到中国的基金会是如何通过合唱公益项目推动音乐教育普及和发展的。

The India Philanthropy Report series showcases the state of giving towards the social sector in India. It highlights the growing contribution of family foundations, which has remained resilient during the pandemic, while other sources of private sector funding have stagnated. However, the social sector remains underserved, with annual funding shortfalls compounded by the addition of pandemic-induced demands.

2023 edition
In its 13th edition, India Philanthropy Report 2023, co-created by Bain & Company and Dasra, focuses on the different funder archetypes – CSR, Retail Givers, UHNIs, HNI & Affluent Givers, their deeply correlated roles, factors and barriers influencing different cohorts of givers and actionable insights into specific enablers that can make philanthropy more effective. Read it here.

2022 edition
The report notes that as India advances towards growth and transformation, an opportunity exists to invest in and support different funder groups across CSR, family philanthropy and retail giving. Read it here.

2021 edition
The report estimates that if India’s ultra-high-net-worth families increase their giving in line with global peers (i.e., they give 2-3% of their wealth), family philanthropic funding would increase five-fold. Read it here.

City should offer tax incentives and allow the cross-border flow of charity capital, according to a study by the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society. Hong Kong currently loses to Singapore in terms of tax incentives for attracting charitable foundations, study shows. Read more here.

This report was produced in collaboration with the Better Hong Kong Foundation (BHKF). Highlighting how Hong Kong can enhance its attractiveness, for both individual and corporate private wealth owners, the report discusses how the city can develop its role as Asia’s pre-eminent philanthropy hub.