Li Ka Shing Foundation

Hong Kong-based charitable organization

The Li Ka Shing Foundation (simplified Chinese: 李嘉诚基金会; traditional Chinese: 李嘉誠基金會) is a Hong Kong-based charitable organization founded in 1980 by Hong Kong entrepreneur Li Ka-shing.

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.^[1]

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 contributions

To date, Li Ka-shing has invested over HK$30 billion in projects covering education, medical services, charity and anti-poverty programmes, with about 80% of the projects in mainland China and Hong Kong.^[2]

Hong Kong

• In 2005, announced a donation of HK$1 billion to Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong.
• "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
• In 2013, establishing Tsz Shan Monastery to promote Buddhism.
• Opening of the Tsz Shan Monastery Buddhist Art Museum at the Tsz Shan Monastery, which has received over HK$3 billion in funding since 2003 for its development and operations—March 2019. (Long-term project)^[3]
• In October 2019, the Li Ka Shing Foundation created HK$1 billion Crunch Time Instant Relief Fund to help more than 28,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the food and beverage, retail, and travel sectors, as well as licensed hawkers to weather through hardship.^[4][5]
• In 2019 and 2020, the Li Ka Shing Foundation granted over HK$200 million in support of medical and welfare services for Hong Kong.  The “Love Can Help” Medical Assistance Programme offered financial assistance to patients falling outside the social security safety net and ineligible for government subsidies.  “Love Can Help II” expanded support to the social welfare community; non-governmental organizations providing various services to the visually impaired, mentally handicapped and physically disabled, autistic children, elderly and underprivileged families.^[6][7]
• In September 2020, Li Ka Shing Foundation has given HK$170 million to four local universities, including the medical faculties of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Education University of Hong Kong in support of medical, biological and artificial intelligence research.^[8]
• In 2020, the Li Ka Shing Foundation has supported the global fight against COVID-19 by sourcing protection gear from around the world and funding medical research and services. To date, HK$180 million has been used for relief efforts, including making a donation of HK$100 million to support the frontline medics in Wuhan.
• In November 2020, donation of HK$5 million for the publication of Hong Kong Chronicles.^[9]
• In November 2020, HK$3 million emergency relief fund donated to relatives of the victims of Yau Ma Tei fire ^[10] and HK$1.5 million to celebrate the centenary of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce.^[11]
• On 24 January 2021, the Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$20 million to support Precious Hospital (Caritas)’s Total Knee Replacement programme.^[12][13]
• In February 2021, LKSF presented PARKnSHOP coupons worth of HK$200 to all 97,000 Hospital Authority staff to thank them for unwavering commitment and dedication protecting Hong Kong people;^[14] a donation of HK$4.1 million was made to support for radiological examination at HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine for patients with gastroenterology and liver diseases in Queen Mary Hospital.^[15]
• In April, Li Ka Shing Foundation donated HK$4 million to support Hong Kong Kidney Foundation's Home Nocturnal Haemodialysis program.^[16]
• In July, Li Ka Shing Medical Fellowship for Internal Medicine was set up at the Department of Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.^[17]
• In October, a donation of HK$5.6 million was made to support Sailability Hong Kong to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to learn sailing.^[18]
• In December, LKSF donated HK$5 million to subsidise patients with chest pain to undergo coronary computed tomography angiography at LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.^[19]
• From February to March 2022, Li Ka Shing Foundation made a donation of about HK$60 million to support private hospitals in Hong Kong to receive non-COVID-19 patients to relieve the pressure on the public healthcare system, and donated HK$5 million to fund elderly homes to purchase protective materials.^[20]
• In April, LKSF donated HK$2 million to support the TREATS Inclusive Sports for All programme;^[21] and another HK$2 million to fund the Hong Kong Sensory Integration Training and Professional Development Centre of SAHK.^[22]
• In May, Li Ka-shing Foundation, along with CK Group, each made a donation of HK$ 3M to the Community Chest of Hong Kong Pandemic Rainbow Fund^[23]
• In May, LKSF donated HK$150 million to support the Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong's research funding,^[24] HK$5 million to support the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing in promoting the continuing education of specialist nurses,^[25] and to support the Education University of Hong Kong in popularising AI education.^[26]
• In June, Li Ka Shing Foundation launched the Construction Industry Casualty Assistance Programme to give a helping hand to the families of the victims due to construction accidents.^[27]
• In August, LKSF donated HK$4 million to support research on obstructive sleep apnea and lung cancer diagnosis at LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.^[28]
• In January 2023, Li Ka Shing Foundation donated RMB 1 million to subsidise the Shanghai Little White Pigeon Dance Troupe.^[29]
• Supported the GI Scan Subsidy Programme at the University of Hong Kong for patients with liver (March) and gastroenterology (October) diseases to undergo multiphasic cross-sectional imaging.^[30]
• In August, LKSF made a donation of HK$1 million to support Opera Hong Kong to launch the "Li Ka Shing Foundation and Opera Hong Kong Young Artist Overseas Residency Fellowships” to nurture local artists. ^[31]
• In October, LKSF donated HK$3 million to support the Hong Kong Kidney Foundation's Home Nocturnal Haemodialysis Programme.^[32]
• In March 2024, LKSF made a donation of HK$10 million to contribute to the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Interventions Subsidy Scheme (2024-26) of Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital.^[33]

Mainland China

• Committing grants and contributions of over HK$12 billion to Shantou University and the Shantou University Medical College since its founding in 1981. Recent commitments include RMB 100 million annually to offer full-tuition academic scholarships for all undergraduate students starting with the incoming class of 2019—June 2019. (Long-term project)^[34]
• Annual Funding of RMB 52 million to support the Heart of Gold Nationwide Hospice Service Program, with has received over RMB 800 million in aggregate funding since 2001. (Long-term project)
• 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.
• Providing US$2 million in funding scale socio-economic impact through technological disruption and innovation in Zhejiang and Shanghai—February 2019.^[35]
• In February 2021, LKSF sponsored Shanghai's Little Pigeon Dancing Group's performance of Shanghai style children musical “Xiao Balazi”.^[36]
• Through his Foundation, Mr Li Ka-shing donated on 26 July 2021 HK$20 million to the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR special account for disaster relief to support Henan Province's flood relief efforts.^[37]
• In July 2022, LKSF made a donation of RMB 10 million to support the haemodialysis programme at SUMC First and Second Affiliated Hospitals.^[38]
• In April 2023, a donation of RMB 100 million was made by LKSF to support the construction of a new inpatient building of Chaozhou People's Hospital.^[39]
• In August 2023, HK$30 million was donated to support flood relief efforts in Beijing-Tianjin and Northeast China, and a donation of RMB 10 million was made to support the medical aid program for the underprivileged at the Shantou University Medical College Affiliated Hospitals.^[40]
• In December, LKSF donated HK$30 million to assist Gansu Earthquake relief efforts. ^[41]

Overseas

• Established the Center for Learning of Stanford University in the US in 2008.
• Supported the establishment of Institute of Virology of University of Alberta in Canada in 2009.
• 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 Guangdong Technion-Israel 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.
• In 2013, granted a C$6.6 million donation for student and faculty exchanges between McGill University and Shantou University in China.^[42]
• Offered a grant of $2 million to University of California San Francisco (UCSF) to advance precision medicine and create a partnership between UCSF and Shantou University, also in 2013.^[43]
• In 2015, renewed support for Yale Stem Cell Center (YSCC) with a US$1.86 million grant for education and healthcare in 2015.^[44]
• Donated total HK$27.6 million to the University of Auckland Campaign For All Our Futures in 2016.
• Donated  US$3 million for cancer research & precision oncology to the University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research (UMCCR) in 2017.^[45]
• Established The Li Ka Shing Foundation Lord Sandberg Memorial Scholarship for Hong Kong students in memory of Lord Michael Sandberg of Passfield in King's College London (United Kingdom).^[46]
• Sponsoring the Future Now excursion to Australia for an experimental education and exchange program—September 2019.^[47]
• Contributing US$1 million to support Saildrone's Antarctic circumnavigation, while making the real-time data available to students for next-gen ocean research—January 2019.^[48]
• A$4.5 million to the University of Sydney to support Australia's first clinical trial testing CAR T-cell immunotherapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer—November 2018.^[49]
• Two Li Ka Shing Chair Professors – Professor Michael Houghton at the University of Alberta and Professor Jennifer Doudna at the University of California, Berkeley – have been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Chemistry respectively. Mr Li Ka-shing attended virtual celebrations through Zoom, at which both professors presented to him replicas of their Nobel medals. After learning that Professor Houghton's two co-investigators, Dr. Qui-Lim Choo and Dr. George Kuo, had shared in the discovery but had not been awarded the Nobel Prize, Mr Li announced that the Li Ka Shing Foundation would honor Dr Choo and Dr Kuo with the same Nobel prize money of US380,000 each to recognize their contributions.^[50]
• In April 2021, an additional C$1 million to support the University of Ottawa to carry out chronic spinal cord injuries research on top of a contribution of C$1 million in support of research on biomaterials in 2019.^[51]
• In August 2023, a donation of US$25 million was made to support Philanthropy Asia Alliance to promote innovative solutions to address issues of Asian and global concern.^[52]

References

1. "Autumn of the Tigers". Forbes. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
2. "In face of criticism, Hong Kong Tycoon Li Ka-shing Says He's Getting Used To 'Punches'". Reuters. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
3. "Buddhist Art Museum To Open At Hong Kong's Tsz Shan Monastery". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
4. "Li Ka Shing Foundation completes HK$1 billion donation scheme EJINSIGHT - ejinsight.com". EJINSIGHT. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
5. "LI KA SHING FOUNDATION CREATES HK$1 BILLION CRUNCH TIME INSTANT RELIEF FUND INITIAL PHASE TO SUPPORT F&B INDUSTRY". Li Ka Shing Foundation.
6. "Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing to donate HK$101 million more amid pandemic". South China Morning Post. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
7. ""LOVE CAN HELP II" LKSF NEW HK$100 MILLION GRANT IN SUPPORT OF MEDICAL AND WELFARE SERVICES FOR HK". Li Ka Shing Foundation.
8. "Li Ka-shing grants HK$170m to four universities for bio-medical and AI tech projects". The Standard. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
9. "Hong Kong Chronicles has been made possible with the generous contributions Lab". Hong Kong Chronicles Institutes.
10. "Li Ka Shing Foundation donates HK$3m to Yau Ma Tei fire victims". The Standard. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
11. "Li Ka Shing Foundation Timeline". lksf.org. 18 November 2020.
12. "Li charity joins up with knee implants". The Standard. 25 January 2021.
13. "Precious Blood Hospital (Caritas)".
14. "Li says thanks to HA staff". The Standard. 4 February 2021.
15. "HKU Medicine". Facebook. 4 February 2021.
16. "Inspiring change since 1980".
17. "Sustainability report 2021, page 53" (PDF).
18. "Navigate through life's difficulties with Mo Han". The Standard. 25 July 2022.
19. "Inspiring change since 1980".
20. "Virus battle calls for joint action by public and private hospitals". South China Morning Post. 8 March 2022.
21. "Inspiring change since 1980".
22. "Hong Kong Sensory Integration Training and Professional Development Centre of SAHK".
23. "ChestLink, issue 49" (PDF). October 2022.
24. "Good Health, Good Future". 23 May 2022.
25. "Good Health, Good Future". 23 May 2022.
26. "Popularising AI Education, Enhancing Conceptual Skills, Creating the Future". 14 June 2022.
27. "Inspiring change since 1980".
28. "Inspiring change since 1980".
29. "Inspiring change since 1980".
30. "Inspiring change since 1980".
31. "LKSF-OHK Young Artist Overseas Fellowships Programme". Opera Hong Kong.
32. "Inspiring change since 1980".
33. "HKSH and LKSF Transcatheter Cardiovascular Interventions Subsidy Scheme". Sanatorium & Hospital.
34. "Li Ka-shing Donates HK$118 Million To Shantou University". Hong Kong Tatler. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
35. "Scaling Socio-Economic Impact Through Technological Disruption And Innovation". Li Ka Shing Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
36. "INSPIRING CHANGE SINCE 1980". Li Ka Shing Foundation.
37. "INSPIRING CHANGE SINCE 1980". Li Ka Shing Foundation.
38. "Inspiring change since 1980".
39. "Inspiring change since 1980".
40. "Inspiring change since 1980".
41. "Inspiring change since 1980".
42. "Building bridges across the Pacific". Channels. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
43. "Li Ka Shing Gift Supports UCSF Quest for Precision Medicine". UC San Francisco. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
44. "Li Ka Shing Foundation renews support for Yale Stem Cell Center". YaleNews. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
45. "US$3m for precision oncology - GetSTEM". getstem.com.au. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
46. "Li Ka Shing Foundation Lord Sandberg Memorial Scholarship 2019-20 | King's College London". www.kcl.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
47. "Foundation Sponsors 'Future Now' Excursion To Australia". Li Ka Shing Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
48. "Saildrone is First to Circumnavigate Antarctica, in Search for Carbon Dioxide". NOAA. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
49. "'One Word For It – Hope': Hong Kong's Richest Man Donates $4.5m To Sydney Cancer Trial". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
50. "Science Reshapes Human Destiny". Li Ka Shing Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
51. "Inspiring change since 1980".
52. "New alliance raises over $300m to drive philanthropic partnerships in Asia". Straits Times. 1 October 2022.

External links

• Li Ka Shing Foundation
• Love Hong Kong Your Way