“River Lord” takes Senior Secondary Division Grand Award and “My Favourite Team” Award in Hang Seng x HKFYG Seek Our Ways Ideation Programme

Teen Innovators Win Top Honours with Nature-based, Low-cost Solution to Tackle River Odour in Tuen Mun

“River Lord” takes Senior Secondary Division Grand Award and “My Favourite Team” Award in Hang Seng x HKFYG Seek Our Ways Ideation Programme

• Junior Secondary Division: Eco-friendly packaging materials made from upcycled rice husks and coffee grounds
• Senior Secondary Division and “My Favourite Team” Award: A floating ecological purification system to improve water quality and reduce odour of the Tuen Mun River at low cost
• Tertiary Division: A fun Cantonese card game to help newly arrived students build confidence and integrate into the local community

Five students from S.K.H. St. Simon’s Lui Ming Choi Secondary School have developed a floating ecological purification system using natural and low-cost materials to improve the Tuen Mun River’s water quality and reduce odour. After 180 hours of design, research and testing, the team’s project, “River Lord,” won the Senior Secondary Division Grand Award in the second cohort of Hang Seng x HKFYG Seek Our Ways Ideation Programme, and also received the “My Favourite Team” Award.

Fully supported by Hang Seng Bank and organised by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) Leadership Institute, the second cohort of the Seek Our Ways Ideation Programme (the “Programme”) brought together over 400 secondary and tertiary students to tackle pressing social challenges across three themes: Environment & Sustainable Development, Elderly & Wellness, and Arts & Culture. Over five months, participants completed nearly 14,000 hours of training, mentorship, and field exposure. Guided by more than 75 social leaders and advisors, they developed close to 90 proposals grounded in real-world insights and community needs.

From these, nine finalist teams advanced to the final pitching round held at the Penthouse of Hang Seng Bank Headquarters, presenting their ideas to a distinguished panel of judges, school representatives and fellow students. The award presentation was held on the same day and officiated by the Guest of Honour, Mr Clarence Leung, BBS, JP, Acting Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs. He was joined by Ms Luanne Lim, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, and Ms Hsu Siu-man, Executive Director of the HKFYG. More than 240 teachers, students and parents attended to show their support.

Mr Clarence Leung, BBS, JP, Acting Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, highlighted the growing role of technology in addressing social challenges and encouraged young people to seize emerging opportunities.  “We should continuously aim at improving our country’s living standards,” he said. Mr Leung also highlighted this alignment with the first “Hong Kong Five-Year Plan” designed to complement the national 15th Five‑Year Plan, and stressed that efforts are being made “to improve community and public welfare, thereby opening up vast opportunities for youth participation.”

Ms Luanne Lim, Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, said, “This is the second consecutive year Hang Seng has supported the Seek Our Ways Ideation Programme. We’re pleased to see that across two cohorts, the Programme has attracted over 800 students and received more than 170 creative proposals. Starting from the community, students have turned what they learned into real action, proposing creative solutions and building prototypes to respond to community needs. Their performance is truly encouraging. We hope the Programme not only inspires young people’s passion for social innovation but also encourages them to keep exploring and putting ideas into practice, bringing more positive impact to the community.”

Ms Hsu Siu-man, Executive Director of HKFYG, emphasised that the programme is designed not as a one-off competition, but as a catalyst for long-term engagement. “We are encouraged to see young people drawing inspiration not from textbooks, but from curiosity and empathy,” she said. “Last year’s winning team ‘Fruitful’ has already turned its idea into a social enterprise, with members continuing to deepen their expertise. This is what the programme stands for, a launchpad for those who want to make a lasting difference.”

In the Junior Secondary Division, Christian & Missionary Alliance Sun Kei Secondary School won with “Onederful,” an eco-friendly packaging solution made from upcycled rice husks and coffee grounds. Developed by Tang Cheuk-wing, Law Mon-in, Har Lok-hin, Chan Ching-yan, Lee Hoi-kiu and Hung Tsz-hei, the team went through more than ten rounds of testing and hope that their biodegradable material will reduce landfill waste generated by e-commerce packaging.

The Senior Secondary Division Grand Award, which also won the “My Favourite Team” Award, went to S.K.H. St. Simon’s Lui Ming Choi Secondary School for “River Lord,” a nature-based water purification system designed to address long-standing odour issues in the Tuen Mun River. Team members Wang Ming-fang, Cai Yu-yin, Gao Yan-yee, Yam Wing-yu and Chan Hoi-ning devised their idea by using zeolite to support naturally occurring nitrifying bacteria. The system converts ammonia into odourless nitrate, which is then absorbed by eel grass, a native plant that also releases oxygen into the water. The team’s low-cost, scalable approach offers a practical pathway to improving urban water systems, with plans for field trials underway.

The Tertiary Division Grand Award went to a cross-university team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Education University of Hong Kong, and City University of Hong Kong. Team members Lam Sze-ming, Leung Pui-ying, Yeung Tsz-ting, Chan Wai-chuen, Ho Tsz-yung and Chan Pak-yee observed that many newly arrived students were unconfident in speaking Cantonese, so they designed a Cantonese card game named “CantoMore” to enable these students to “learn through play” and build their confidence. It is hoped that this initiative will be adopted by local secondary schools in the future to help more students integrate into the community.

Each winning team will receive HK$20,000 and the opportunity to participate in a career immersion experience provided by Hang Seng Bank. On the event day, the audience also voted for the “My Favourite Team” Award, with the winning team receiving HK$2,000. 

Grand Award Winners by Division

Media Enquiries

Hang Seng Bank

Krista Chan             Tel: (852) 3662 0351              Email: [email protected]

The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

Michelle Leung       Tel: (852) 3755 7011              Email: [email protected]

The HKFYG Leadership Institute

Yammi Chan           Tel: (852) 2169 0255              Email: [email protected]

About Hang Seng Bank

Founded in 1933, Hang Seng has continually innovated to deliver reliable, friendly and customer-centric banking, investment and wealth management services for both individuals and businesses. Recognised as the leading local bank in Hong Kong, Hang Seng serves nearly 4 million customers. With an award-winning mobile app, robust digital capabilities, and a network of over 250 service outlets in Hong Kong, Hang Seng offers a seamless omni-channel experience, enabling customers to manage their banking and financial needs anytime, anywhere.

The Bank’s core business activities include Retail Banking and Wealth, Commercial Banking, Insurance Manufacturing and Asset Management, as well as Markets and Securities Services.

Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of stock market indexes for the Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland markets. Hang Seng Investment Management Limited and Hang Seng Insurance Company Limited, also wholly owned subsidiaries of the Bank, offer a comprehensive range of investment and insurance solutions.  

Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary, operates a strategic network of outlets in major Mainland Chinese cities, supporting a growing base of local and cross-boundary customers.

As a homegrown financial institution, Hang Seng is deeply connected to the Hong Kong community. The bank supports local initiatives focused on financial literacy, nature, youth empowerment, and community care.

Hang Seng is a member of the HSBC Group, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. More information on Hang Seng is available at www.hangseng.com.

About The HKFYG Leadership Institute

The HKFYG Leadership Institute is dedicated to creating a new generation of leaders, with over 200,000 having been trained since 2000. Located at the revitalised historic Former Fanling Magistracy, the Institute combines the heritage of a graceful colonial building with immersive and interactive technology. It also provides training for young people from senior primary schools to tertiary institutions and for those in the workplace in four main themes, namely Resilient Leadership, Service Leadership, Sustainable Leadership and Communicative and Collaborative Leadership. Through our meticulously designed curriculum, young leaders are empowered to take up leadership roles and make wonders locally, nationally, and globally.