Meet the Entrepreneurs
Realizing Diamond Cab before dying
Doris Leung, CEO, Diamond Cab
Most of us need jobs to make living. Some of us love our jobs and turn as career.
To me, realizing Diamond Cab is neither a job nor a career, but a mission possible before dying.
I was a TV journalist trained to broadcast the community stories by professional video language and share with
the society what is new, meaningful and interesting in Hong Kong. Transforming from a journalist to a social entrepreneur,
I keep my same passion to improve the living quality of Hong Kong citizens, no matter by TV news story or social enterprise.
With Diamond Cab, my spotlight turns to the wheelchair users whose need is spoken out by my mum, an active and lovely
mid-aged woman before becoming permanently disabled.
Since late 2007, I worked together with Alfred, Simon and Joseph as volunteers to explore the possibility to set up car
fleet for wheelchair users. We firstly got a lot of support from the transport industry, which gave me great confidence
to start from zero. But what made me so dedicated to realize the Diamond Cab? It’s about Justice and Future.
Since 2007, I lived at the private estate where private elderly nursing homes are popular. Each morning when I went
for work, I saw the illegal vans just like the school buses available for wheelchair boarding to wait for the elders
in wheelchairs. I felt sad and even irritated with this indecent situation. One day my mum has tried the bad service
of illegal van, then I told myself, I must make a new decent choice for wheelchair user, also for myself in future.
Otherwise, I will be regretful if I can’t achieve it before dying.
In 2009, I recognized the support to Social Venture Hong Kong was getting concrete, I have decided to quit
and turn into a full-time self-paid volunteer to realize the wheelchair taxi project. At the same time, we
tried our best to get funding to support Social Ventures Hong Kong and nurture Diamond Cab, which we know
will be the significant groundbreaking social innovation.
Having launched Diamond Cab for over a year, I am still proud of my team having showcased the blended value
of social entrepreneurship, which is unique and also visionary. Also, it signifies Justice and
Future with promising sustainability!
Learn more about our innovative venture Diamond Cab. You too can be like Doris and
make social entrepreneurship your career. Learn more about current openings at SVhk.
Sindy Chow - Happy Grannies Elderly Sponsorship Action
Happy Grannies was born when Sindy entered the SVhk Social Innovation Award in 2008 with a
strong passion for supporting the elderly. Sindy asked: "If we can sponsor children in Africa,
why can't we sponsor our elderly at home?" Since then, Sindy has been juggling a busy schedule
between her own business and taking Happy Grannies from idea to reality.
"I hope as many people can participate in Happy Grannies as possible. Only this way can our
service scope continue to expand. In the coming year, I hope to grow our volunteer base from
around 100 to over 400, and serve over 100 elderly."
Learn more about our innovative venture Happy Grannies Elderly Sponsorship Action.
