Following her parents’ divorce, Lee Choi-wa had started to lose faith in the goodness of people, but this changed after she was injured in a traffic accident
Choi-wa hopes her video can send positive energy to everyone. I grew up in a single parent household. Before my parents divorced, I was loved and cared for by my father and mother. I had a very happy and fulfilling life. However, things started to change after my parents split up.
My father and I had to move out. Since the divorce, I have been living with my father and stepmother. Although I had a roof over my head, the new place didn’t feel like home to me. In fact, I felt no warmth there, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was a guest and not a member of this household.
My poor academic performance in school would often get me into trouble, too. As no one at home or school could or would help me with my school work, my grades began to suffer. As a result, my dad would always get mad at me. He constantly scolded or punished me. Because of this, I started to lose interest in socialising with other people, and I started to isolate myself.
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One day, I was hurt in a traffic accident. I was lucky that it was not more serious. From that moment on, I began to look at my life differently. Many friends came to visit me in hospital, and I realised that a lot of people still cared about me.
That concern and care that others felt for me had a huge impact on me. I soon became a more optimistic and proactive person, and felt better equipped to deal with difficulties and challenges in my life. After I realised what a difference a little kindness can make, I began to open myself up to people again. I found that I could, in turn, help those in need by becoming a volunteer. It was during my volunteer work that I found out a lot of people in the community need our care.
I hope my video can help to send positive energy to everyone who watches it. As someone who has been on both the giving and receiving ends of care, I wish that more people would put themselves out there and care for those around them. From my experience, I know that a little bit of kindness can make a great positive impact on those in need of help.
Unicef HK’s Make A Video competition gives young people a chance to express themselves. The project is co-organised by the Hong Kong Arts Centre’s IFVA, with support from Hang Seng Bank and Young Post. Check out the videos here. Email your feedback to [email protected]
The Make A Video Contest 2018 is now open for applications. This year, the theme is “The value we embrace”, which aims to encourage young people to embrace their values as they grow up. Details can be found here.