PolyU has pioneered the integration of social responsibility and civic engagement into undergraduate education through its flagship Service-Learning initiative. This summer, more than 110 PolyU students and staff embarked on a transformative mission to Rwanda, installing solar power systems and sharing clothing-making and design skills in rural villages.

This exceptional journey was conducted under the “Wong Tit Shing Sustainability Education Project: Habitat Green in East Africa” programme, a highlight of PolyU’s Service-Learning initiatives. Students applied classroom knowledge to address real-world challenges, supporting local communities, expanding their global perspectives while discovering the essence of social responsibility.

Now in its 11th year, the programme featured two projects: installing solar power systems and launching a new fashion design project. After completing lectures and training in Hong Kong, participants spent two weeks in rural Rwandan villages, successfully delivering these services at the end of July.

The PolyU senior management delegation led by Dr Lam Tai-fai, Council Chairman; alongside Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President; Professor Ben Young, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs) and Professor Kwok-yin Wong, Vice President (Education), joined the staff and students in the services to show their support and encouragement.

Dr Lam Tai -fai, Council Chairman (left); Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President (back row, second from right); and Professor Ben Young, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs) (back row, right), hope that PolyU’s Service-Learning project in Rwanda will have a positive impact on the local community and children.

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Harnessing solar power

Students from the Service-Learning subject offered by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and the Department of Computing formed an impressive team to install solar power systems. Marcus Wan Long-ting, a first-year Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Radiography student, was among the 47 PolyU students involved. They also taught local youth how to install, repair and fix solar panels, enabling them to access sustainable green energy.

“It is my first time in Africa. Everything felt like a challenge at first, but I quickly adapted to the culture, language, and even the diet!” Marcus said.

PolyU students and the locals are thrilled when the lights come on after fixing the solar panels!.

Rwanda’s breathtaking landscape, known as “the land of a thousand hills”, presented unique challenges. The stunning scenery made visiting hillside houses difficult. Students often trekked long distances uphill under the blazing sun, carrying solar panels and a full set of equipment.

Marcus and his team, alongside a local community college student, worked up a sweat setting up solar power systems for nearly twenty houses in two weeks. Their dedication, combined with the efforts of students, staff and local partners, brought solar power to over 400 impoverished families.

These systems provide the villagers with lights and basic electricity, connecting them to the world through radios and mobile phones. Before this summer, PolyU’s Service-Learning projects had already installed solar panels for over 1,200 Rwandan homes. Marcus reflected, “This journey changes how I see myself. I am now braver and prepared to take on challenges I never imagined.”

Reflecting on her visits to the rural villages, Dr Grace Ngai, Head of PolyU’s Service-Learning and Leadership Office, shared, “City dwellers take for granted turning on the lights when they get home, but for villagers in rural areas, returning home brings fear because they cannot see in the dark.” In many remote villages, people have never experienced artificial light, describing the illumination provided by PolyU students as “a gift from the heavens”.

A beneficiary of the solar project shared, “It used to be difficult for us. Entering the house in the dark felt dangerous, as if a snake could bite us. Now, with the solar system, I am relieved and no longer scared of snakes.”.

A creative remake of authentic customs

In a village school, students from the Service-Learning subject offered by the School of Fashion and Textiles collaborated with local artisans using vibrant Rwandan fabrics. This project, debuting in Rwanda, aimed to enhance villagers’ clothing-making skills by transferring knowledge and skillsets in textile arts. Students prepared designs in Hong Kong, purchased local fabrics in Rwanda, and co-created stylish outfits and accessories with the local community, blending the ethnic traditional elements with modern design.

PolyU students teamed up with local tailors and community school students to make clothes for themselves and for a community mama, proudly showcasing their design at a fashion show.

Karly Wong Kai-yu, a first-year Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Fashion student, said, “The Programme is about exchanging fashion knowledge. We teach them how to use tech packs to increase income and communicate with factories.” Ashlee Lee Pui-shuen, another student, added, “The patterns they taught us to draw are quite different from what we learned. They use a simpler way and need less data, making it easier for us to sew that we had never imagined.”

Rwandan fabrics, known for their vibrant colours and exotic patterns, became the canvas for our students’ creativity and the local artisans’ craftsmanship. Collaboratively, they designed garments for a community ‘mama’ and themselves, culminating in a fashion show to showcase their creations and celebrate the project’s success.

A service recipient of the fashion project shared, “Collaborating with these students provided us with a wealth of knowledge. We didn’t know that mixing different cloth materials could produce beautiful colours. Now, we will be mixing these cloths to create new designs for different clients.”

Dr Lam Tai-fai, Council Chairman (front row, second from right); Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President (second from left); Professor Ben Young, Vice President (right); led a 100-strong team to Rwanda, hoping that PolyU students and staff can help improve the lives of villagers through the Service-Learning projects.

Mr Wang Xuekun, Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda (seventh from right) and Professor Kwok-yin Wong, Vice President (Education) (fourth from right), joined the community celebration and fashion show, sharing their happiness with PolyU students and staff, as well as the local community.

Service-Learning: an integrated experiential learning pedagogy

PolyU’s projects in Rwanda are part of its extensive Service-Learning offerings, featuring over 110 subjects in the 2023/24 academic year. As the first local university to embed social responsibility and civic engagement into its undergraduate curriculum, PolyU has seen over 42,000 students participate in Service-Learning since 2012, dedicating more than 1.68 million service hours to communities across Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, and overseas countries like Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Service-Learning and Leadership Office collaborates with academic units to provide diverse opportunities, educating students about social issues, nurturing a global outlook, and empowering them to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Students from different disciplines can choose from a wide array of Service-Learning subject options taught by more than 30 academic units.

The University is dedicated to advancing Service-Learning and nurturing youth leadership, preparing students to become civic-minded professionals. Equipped with leadership skills, cross-cultural capabilities, a global perspective, and a heart to serve, students at PolyU are well poised to make a meaningful impact in Hong Kong, the Mainland, and beyond.