The co-founder of The Hub tells us about the evolution of his philanthropic efforts and his vision for his charity
Charity began at home for David Boehm. Growing up in Australia, the importance of giving back to the community was instilled in him. However, after realising some of the money he donated to charity wasn’t used effectively, he decided it was time for more focused philanthropy.
He began working with the Childline Thailand Foundation and set up a centre to provide welfare and educational support for street children in Bangkok. Then, in 2013 in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po, he co-founded The Hub, a centre providing educational guidance, after-school activities, health and welfare services to underprivileged children to help them grow and develop their full potential.
Tell us about your future plans.
We currently target school-aged children, from five to 18, but we are also looking at setting up an early learning centre. There’s a gap in the Hong Kong social security system for children aged between 18 months and three years and we would like to start a programme to bring those children to The Hub during the day, which would also make use of the space when our children are at school.
It is my ambition to set up another Hub. Bruce and I always said that even if we save one kid from a life of poverty or crime it will be worthwhile, and obviously we have helped a lot more than that—I think we have had several thousand children come through our centre—but we want to do more, particularly for other kids who live in different areas.
We have identified Kwun Tong as the next potential site and we are talking with the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. If they accept our proposal, they would fund the construction and the first three years; we just need to make sure we can sustain it thereafter.
