About Us

CWS is a Hong Kong registered charity dedicated to supporting children through education, health care and social opportunities. Due to a growing concern about the state of Hong Kong's air and the threat it poses to children’s health, CWS has initiated an education campaign about how air pollution affects the health of children – called S.A.V.E.

CWS是香港註冊的慈善團體，致力於兒童的教育，保健及社會機會。由於香港空氣污染質素重大威脅兒童健康的問題備受關注，CWS 開始發起一個以污染空氣怎樣影響兒童健康之教育性的行動 ─ 命名為S.A.V.E. – 步步保寶。

Focus: Air pollution and children’s health
Our focus is on the increasing scientific evidence that air pollution is a serious threat to health, lung function and development in children, and the prospect of even higher levels of air pollution in Hong Kong in future. Our education campaign informs children about this threat to their physical development; reinforces that knowledge with practical exercises to measure and understand the effects of air pollution on health; engages children in critical thinking about air pollution issues; and empowers them to protect themselves. To learn more about CWS please visit www.cwshk.org

重點：空氣污染與兒童的健康
我們的重點聚焦於在益增中的科學證據，證實空氣污染嚴重威脅人體健康、肺部功能和危害兒童在成長階段的進展；然而香港在未來的歲月，空氣污染程度會有更為提升的景象。我們透過這教育性行動，讓兒童們明白空氣污染威脅他們體格上的發育；加強他們對污染危害健康的認識；讓他們參與有關空氣污染議題的評論；授權他們在健康保障上作自我保護。

Objectives
Short-term objectives
• Give the children of Hong Kong a voice by way of a survey as part of the public consultation on Hong Kong’s new Air Quality Objectives.
• Encourage the adoption of short-term methods for protection of health against the effects of air pollution.

Long-term objective
Change the consciousness of Hong Kong people by integrating air pollution issues into children’s education, which we hope will lead to cleaner air and better health for children and people of Hong Kong.

目標
•短期目標
讓香港的兒童們透過全面觀察，表達意見，以作公眾諮詢的一部份。
鼓勵採納短期方案，應付空氣污染的影響，保障健康。

•長線目標
將空氣污染的議題配合於兒童教育課程，籍以改善香港市民對清新空氣的意識，使香港能早日有較清新的空氣、市民大眾有較健康的身體。

SAVE co-founders:
Zein Williams
Zein has been working with CWS since 2003 when she spent 5 months working directly with the programmes in Nepal before returning to help set up the Hong Kong office. Zein grew up in Hong Kong and has seen its beautiful skyline go from bad to worse every year. As a competitive sportsperson and keen runner clean air has always meant a lot to Zein. In early 2008 she gave birth to her first daughter; this gave Zein the ultimate motivation to do something to improve HK’s air. For more, please see Zein’s profile on the CWS HK website: http://cwshk.org/aboutus.html

Antonio Da Roza
Antonio is a barrister-at-law and legal researcher at the University of Hong Kong, Antonio first became involved on the issue of air pollution when he was asked to investigate the air pollution laws in Hong Kong. Antonio quickly came to the conclusion that the air pollution problem went far beyond the laws in Hong Kong, and its effects on children’s health in particular called for greater understanding and concern. For more, please see Antonio’s profile at New Chambers: http://www.newchambers.hk/barristers_detail.php?id=4

CWS Board and special advisor:
Gordon Oldham
Gordon is the Chairman of CWS HK’s Board. Gordon also founded the Clean Air Foundation to take on the Government in respect of the issue of cleaner air for Hong Kong. He continues the fight with SAVE, which is focused on the effects of air pollution on children’s health and wellbeing. For more, please see Gordon’s profile on the CWS HK website: http://cwshk.org/aboutus.html

Sandra d’Auriol
Sandra has been a director of CWS HK since the very start. Sandra has always been deeply concerned about children welfare and recently she has become increasingly aware that we must all become actively involved in lobbying for change with environmental issues, particularly those in Hong Kong. For more, please see Sandra’s profile on the CWS HK website: http://cwshk.org/aboutus.html

Kathie Allderige
Kathie is an ex-fund manager and proud stay-at-home mother who has always believed that each generation's first responsibility is to care for and advocate for the children below them. She began working with CWS in 2005 right after her son was born. Previously, she volunteered as a tutor for inner-city children, an administrator at a food pantry focused on single mothers, and the treasurer for a Japanese organization raising funds for grassroots street children programmes in Asia. She believes that providing clean air to Hong Kong's children is a basic responsibility of the Hong Kong community.

Marie France Van Damme
http://cwshk.org/aboutus.html

Douglas Maclagan
Douglas grew up in England, The Netherlands and Belgium, and has been living in Nepal since 1994. Douglas founded and leads the Operations of CWS in Nepal. Douglas feels strongly about these rights of children living in Hong Kong, and sees them as no different just because they live in a wealthier society, as here to, abuse of rights are exercised – Air Pollution is one! For more, please see Douglas’ profile on the CWS HK website: http://cwshk.org/aboutus.html

SAVE Academic Committee
Our education programme would not be possible without the hard work of the teachers who work with us. The teachers come from local government schools and international schools, bringing with them a diverse range of experience, skills and knowledge about Hong Kong students, the local education system and its environment.

Acknowledgements
SAVE would like to thank the following people for all their hard work and support!

Researchers
Sharon Poon, John Lee, Dicky Chen, Candy Au, Natalie Ip, Kelvin Tang, Tara Alderson

Translation
John Lee, Dicky Chen, Candy Au, Helen Da Roza

Photographs
Carmen K.M. Tang (HKSAR, China),
www.flickr.com/photos/ngucounsel © Carmen K. M. Tang, 2009. All Rights Reserved
Alex Hofford, http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/
Chris Lusher, http://www.framewerkz.net/, http://www.pbase.com/lushlife/profile