On December 10, a youth delegation of 39 Hong Kong students and teachers participating in the Nurturing Future InnoTech Talent Project witnessed the launch of a rocket bearing the project name “Nurturing the Future” at the Dongfeng commercial aerospace innovation pilot zone near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre.The rocket successfully carried nine satellites into orbit.
Students wait for the “Nurturing the Future” rocket to launch
This was another milestone in the Nurturing Future InnoTech Talent Project — a three-year strategic initiative funded by the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, and organised by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation with The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups as the strategic partner.The project aims to nurture Hong Kong’s young talents in innovation and technology(I&T) with national awareness and a global perspective.
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Students wait for the “Nurturing the Future” rocket to launch
The “Nurturing the Future” rocket on the launch pad.
Launch of the “Nurturing the Future” rocket.
Students and teachers visit the Jiayuguan Fortress
Students and teachers visit the Jiayuguan section of the Great Wall
The exchange students and teachers attended a lecture by Commander Shen Xingyun, the first captain of the PLA Astronauts Brigade, and other aerospace scientists
Students shared their feelings about participating in the exchange group
Students shared their feelings about participating in the exchange group
An exchange group including 39 Hong Kong teachers and students witnessed the “Nurturing the Future” rocket launch
The “Nurturing the Future” rocket on the launch pad.
Launch of the “Nurturing the Future” rocket.
“The ‘Nurturing the Future’ rocket launch was a powerful experience for these Hong Kong youngsters who are on their own educational journey,” said Lester Huang, Chairman of the IoP. “By witnessing this achievement firsthand, these students will connect scientific progress with their own aspirations and develop a spirit of innovation.”
Students and teachers visit the Jiayuguan Fortress
The students and teachers were visiting as part of a five-day programme, which included lectures and discussions with leading aerospace scientists as well as cultural excursions to the Jiayuguan Fortress, the Overhanging Great Wall, and the First Pier of the Great Wall.
Students and teachers visit the Jiayuguan section of the Great Wall
Students described the experience as unforgettable. Lau Pak Ho from Buddhist Yip Kei Nam Memorial College said: “Witnessing the rocket launch in person was a breathtaking and unforgettable experience! I'm deeply grateful to the exchange programme for this precious opportunity, which allowed me to feel the burning passion of the space dream. This journey will forever inspire me to strive with passion and stride boldly into the future!”
The exchange students and teachers attended a lecture by Commander Shen Xingyun, the first captain of the PLA Astronauts Brigade, and other aerospace scientists
Yang Tsz Lui from Kowloon True Light School added: “This journey opened new possibilities for my future. I realised aerospace spans far broader fields than I imagined, and I can connect my love of mathematics, physics and art to this industry.”
Students shared their feelings about participating in the exchange group
The delegation included nine students living in Small Group Homes benefiting from support under JC Project Bonfire, Hong Kong’s first and largest initiative to support children and youth in residential care. For most it was their first plane trip to the Chinese Mainland.
Students shared their feelings about participating in the exchange group
One student living in a Small Group Home said it was a great honour to watch the rocket launch, which he had only seen on television in the past. Lectures by leading aerospace scientists were inspirational: “The sharing of the two aerospace experts helped me appreciate their great contributions to our country and inspired me to actively pursue my dream career. This experience has filled me with hope for my future career path.”
An exchange group including 39 Hong Kong teachers and students witnessed the “Nurturing the Future” rocket launch
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) and the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), a “think-fund-do” tank established by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust, today announced a US$4.68 million (HK$36.49 million) partnership to accelerate the adoption of next-generation, near point-of-care tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics in high-burden countries.
TB remains the world’s leading infectious disease killer, claiming more than one million lives every year despite being preventable and curable. Recent advances in TB vaccine and counter-measure development offer initial promise, whereas closing the diagnostic gap remains a critical missing link for controlling TB: current diagnostic methods do not only take time but also require multiple visits which delay diagnoses and hence sustain community transmission.
Dr. Gabriel Leung, Director of the Institute of Philanthropy (left), and Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund (right), formalised a US$4.68 million (HK$36 million)
To address this gap, the announced initiative focuses on capacity building to accelerate the uptake of a major diagnostic breakthrough: near point-of-care molecular tests recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for TB in March 2026. These tests utilise easy-to-collect swab samples, deliver results in under an hour, and provide a highly cost-effective tool designed for deployment in primary healthcare settings such as frontline clinics.
“Transformative health innovations only deliver their full potential when countries can access them and have the support they need to put them into practice,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “This partnership with the Institute of Philanthropy will help countries accelerate the adoption of new TB diagnostic technologies and bring high-quality testing closer to the communities that need it most.”
By bringing rapid testing closer to where people live, the technology enables patients to receive an accurate diagnosis and potentially begin treatment during a single clinic visit—thereby reducing diagnostic delays, preventing patients from being lost to follow-up, and curbing further transmission. This marks a significant shift in TB diagnosis: moving away from reliance on century-old sputum smear microscopy toward rapid molecular testing designed around the needs of patients rather than distant laboratories.
“Philanthropy can play a catalytic role in helping proven health innovations reach people faster. Particularly when Asia stands at a pivotal moment in the fight against TB, with a significant opportunity to accelerate access to life-saving diagnosis through innovation,” said Dr. Gabriel Leung, Director of the Institute of Philanthropy. “Through this partnership, we also see significant potential for innovative diagnostic technologies to strengthen epidemic preparedness across Asia by helping health systems detect and respond to infectious disease threats more effectively.”
Building upon the Global Fund’s existing implementation efforts in 13 early adopter countries, this initiative will provide complementary technical assistance and operational support to enable effective, sustainable deployment across at least four Asian priority countries. Specifically, the initiative will:
1. Provide nationally embedded technical assistance in Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. This will focus on strengthening day-to-day planning and implementation of near point-of-care diagnostics, enhancing data collection and logistics systems, facilitating the integration into national diagnostic algorithms and laboratory networks, as well as delivering structured training for implementing partners and local health facilities.
2. Develop evidence and generate demand in early adopter countries. The initiative will systematically document implementation experiences across early adopter countries, including identifying key barriers related to procurement planning, human resources, operational workflows, and service delivery models.
3. Facilitate regional peer-to-peer learning and provide ad-hoc, demand-driven support. In close collaboration with WHO country and regional offices, the initiative will facilitate regional learning among early adopters and other interested countries through convening annual regional workshops and disseminating best practices and guidance.
Anchored in the East for the world, IoP was established in 2023 in Hong Kong, a city with a distinguished history in the fight against TB which pioneered an effective short-course treatment regimen back in the 1960s. This initiative reflects IoP’s aligned vision with its partners to accelerate the uptake of health innovation in Asia while addressing last-mile adoption challenges in strengthening preparedness for future health emergencies.
