Toy Entrepreneur Founds Lok Yin Society, Free Courses Help Grassroots Youth Become BANDAI Animators
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Toy entrepreneur Chu Kai-kwan has dedicated his career to giving back to Hong Kong's youth through the Lok Yin Society, an organization he co-founded in 2012. The group offers free professional training in 3D animation and game development, providing a lifeline for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who lack resources to pursue higher education. The organization's unique hybrid model allows trainees to gain real-world work experience while studying, and many graduates have secured positions at top companies like BANDAI in Japan.
Key Points
- Chu Kai-kwan, third of ten siblings, sacrificed his own education to run his father's toy factory so his brothers and sisters could study
- The Lok Yin Society trains 40 to 50 students annually, with a graduate employment rate exceeding 80 percent
- Board members include Tim Cheung, former DreamWorks character animation supervisor, and Howard Ling, a social entrepreneur
- The organization partnered with SIGGRAPH, allowing trainees to participate in international volunteer programs through outstanding work
- Nick, a former secondary school student, joined a summer program, later completed a one-year free course, and now works as a 3D animator at BANDAI in Japan
- Nick contributed to "Karl's Legend," which won the silver prize at Taiwan's Bahamut 2021 ACG Creation Competition
- A-Nan, 28, dropped out of mechanical engineering studies in Taiwan, joined Lok Yin after discovering it on Instagram, and now works as a 3D animator at an advertising company
- The organization uses a "generation-to-generation" mentorship system where outstanding graduates become instructors
Why It Matters
The Lok Yin Society demonstrates how social enterprise models can address educational inequality in Hong Kong by transforming underprivileged youth into skilled professionals in the competitive global animation industry. As generative AI technology reshapes creative industries, the organization's emphasis on practical collaboration skills and hands-on experience provides graduates with irreplaceable human competencies that complement technological advancement .
The Lok Yin Society demonstrates how social enterprise models can address educational inequality in Hong Kong by transforming underprivileged youth into skilled professionals in the competitive global animation industry. As generative AI technology reshapes creative industries, the organization's emphasis on practical collaboration skills and hands-on experience provides graduates with irreplaceable human competencies that complement technological advancement .