Li Ka Shing Foundation

Li Ka Shing Foundation
Founded 1980 (1980)
Founder Li Ka-shing
Type Charity
Focus Education, healthcare
Location
Area served
Global, China
Method Donations and grants
Website www.lksf.org/en/

The Li Ka Shing Foundation (李嘉誠基金會) is a Hong Kong-based charitable organization founded in 1980 by Hong Kong entrepreneur Li Ka-shing. It is the second largest private foundation led by a wealthy individual in the world, after Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[1]

The Third Son

Li Ka-shing considers the Li Ka Shing Foundation to be his "third son" and has pledged to donate one-third of his assets to support philanthropic projects. He has called for other Asian entrepreneurs to do the same, in the hope of altering the traditional notion of passing wealth through lineage.

The Li Ka Shing Foundation's story stretches back over three decades: Having grown up witness to suffering and illness, Li Ka-shing cultivated a compassion that set in motion the idea of establishing a charitable foundation.

Mission

Li Ka Shing Foundation supports projects that promote social progress through expanding access to quality education and medical services and research, encouraging cultural diversity and community involvement.

Every project and every donation stems from Li Ka-shing's belief in the inherent value of each human life, regardless of race, class, or circumstance. He has devoted himself to helping others overcome the educational and physical barriers preventing them from achieving their potential.

Three main focuses

  • Encourage giving to nurture a new culture of philanthropy in Asia
  • Support educational reform to create a paradigm shift that develops positive and sustainable change
  • Support medical research and services to create a healthier world

Major contribution

To date, Li Ka Shing Foundation has granted approximately HK$14.5 billion (US$1.86 billion) in charitable donations, approximately 90% in support of education reform initiatives and medical services in Greater China region.

Hong Kong:

  • Donation of HK$1 billion to Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong announced in 2005.
  • "Love HK Your Way!" campaign launched in 2010, granted over HK$300 million as of September 2013. Thousands of social institutions were involved serving more than 3.3 million people. Major projects include:
    • Love Ideas, Love HK (total 3 rounds)
    • “Heart of Gold” – Hong Kong Hospice Service Program (10 service centers established)
    • Love More
    • TrueBeam System donated to the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong & Prince of Wales Hospital
    • March of Social Engineers
  • Establishing Tsz Shan Monastery in 2013 to promote Buddhism.

Mainland China:

  • HK$6 billion were donated for the development of Shantou University as of 2012. The university was established in 1981 and is the only public university funded by a private foundation (Li Ka Shing Foundation) in China.
  • Initiated Hospice Service by Shantou Medical College in 1997 and extended to nationwide in 2002. To date, 32 Hospice Service centers are established.
  • In 2002, the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business was established to educate new generation of entrepreneur leaders.
  • In 2008, Project New Life for cleft lip and palate surgeries started.
  • In 2009, Pediatric Hernia Rehabilitation Program in Western China started.
  • In 2010, Project Define – Rural women development was run to enhance women's leadership.
  • In 2012, Love Ideas – Women's Project Guangdong started.

Overseas:

  • Supported the establishment of Institute of Virology of University of Alberta in Canada in 2009.
  • Established the Center for Learning and knowledge of Stanford University in the US in 2008.
  • Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences of UC Berkeley in the US opened in 2011.
  • Oxford University "Big Data" Conference was established in 2013.
  • In 2013, sponsored US$130 million to create The Technion Guangdong Institute of Technology with the cooperation between Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and Shantou University. The new institute aims to bring a new era of research and innovation in science, engineering, and life science in China.
  • Donated total HK$27.6 million to the University of Auckland Campaign For All Our Futures in 2016.

References

  1. ↑ "Gates and Li Ka Shing Top List of Big Foundations Created by Wealthy People".
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