Melco helps realize the dreams of local elderlies through Simple Acts of Kindness 2.0
Since 2020, Melco Resorts & Entertainment Chairman & CEO Mr. Lawrence Ho has deployed the company’s workforce en masse to support the local community during work hours, encouraging colleagues to care for the community through Simple Acts of Kindness. Based on the philosophy that even small actions can have a big impact, and that each person can do something to touch people’s hearts, almost three years on, the initiative continues to provide various types of support to the local Macau community.
So far in 2022, Melco has supported local NGOs and its community partners through nearly 18,000 volunteer participations in almost 1,800 activities, benefitting 1,556 local non-governmental organizations/institutions, SMEs, schools and nurseries.
In recent months, Simple Acts of Kindness 2.0’s ‘Small Dreams’ program has been launched to help local elderlies and youth realize their wishes through individualization and customization. To help make seniors’ dreams come true, Melco has been working hand in hand with local NGOs including Macau Caritas Asilo de Sao Francis Xavier Home for the Aged, UGAMM Cheng I Elderly Service Center and Macao Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) Ka Ho Nursing Home.
Granny Pun and Granny Ng each aspired to become nurses in their youth but were deprived of the opportunity due to lack of family resources. To help the ladies achieve their dreams, Melco volunteers organized a Nursing Student Internship Experience which comprised sharing sessions from Kiang Wu Nursing School Associate Professor Ms. U Wai Ng and the institution’s nursing interns. The ladies graduated from the program and were presented certificates by Ms. U while being dressed in nursing uniforms, and were later gifted framed photos of the occasion as memorabilia.
In another ‘Small Dreams’ pursuit, keen dancer and sports lover Granny Ma was gifted with a pair of dancing shoes and invited to join a series of Flamenco classes led by a Melco volunteer and professional dancer, to help realize her Flamenco-dancing dream. Although she was only able to only complete part of the course due to health issues, Granny Ma wrapped up the program with a stunning dance performance at an elderly gathering activity in front of a 50-strong audience comprising members of three local elderly centers.
Appreciative of the volunteers’ time and efforts, Granny Ma said, “My wish has been fulfilled. The teacher (Melco Volunteer) taught me so well, and it was all easy to understand. What I have learnt will always stay with me. Whenever I think of the Flamenco music, my heart begins to dance. I am grateful for the teacher’s patience and care, that feeling is hard to describe in words…Thank you for helping me realize my dream.”
The activity series also saw Melco volunteers help Granny Chan accomplish the dream of revisiting her old neighborhood, former workplace and the Macao Giant Panda Pavilion. Granny Chan said, “Due to my age and lack of mobility, even the seemingly easy things in life like outings are now hard to come by. I was so happy to have Melco volunteers accompany me to help me realize my dreams, taking me to the places I always wanted to go to and enjoying the foods I love. It has brought me a lot of joy seeing real pandas and monkeys, as well as receiving the really thoughtful gifts of a neck scarf and furry slippers from the volunteers to bring me warmth for the winter.”
In another case, being in her 60’s and with strong self-care abilities, Ms. Chan was once ill when she decided to join her husband with dementia as resident of FAOM Ka Ho Nursing Home. Sometimes feeling daily life in the home had become too mundane, Ms. Chan’s wish was to go out more than just once a month to meet with old friends and neighbors, but was unable to due to the home’s staffing arrangements.
Before joining the care home and to make ends meet, Ms. Chan enjoyed selling her homemade baked goods to neighbors. In view of this, Melco arranged for Ms. Chan and two other fellow residents to learn professional pastry skills and exchange ideas with Studio City’s Bi Ying restaurant chef. Today, Ms. Chan can continue her small pastry business to enrich her daily life, about which Deputy Dean of FAOM Ka Ho Nursing Home, Ms. Lau Wing-Sze said, “I am thrilled that several seniors in our community have been able to participate in Melco’s ‘Small Dreams’ activity. In addition to making the dreams of the elderly come true, Melco’s professionals helped our residents gain skills and knowledge to increase their confidence and improve their sense of self-worth. Melco’s volunteers made the most thoughtful arrangements, accompanying and taking good care of the elderlies while helping to add color to their lives.”
