#impact Podcast: Social Impact | Social Entrepreneurship | Careers for Social Good · Regina Larko

Your First Step to Make a Difference |Starting Your Volunteering Journey

·47 min·2 clips

A smile breaks boundaries. It breaks barriers. It breaks the ice. You communicate silently but effectively—with a cat, a dog, a human who doesn't speak your language.

This episode of the #impact Podcast features host Regina Larko in conversation with Sande "Sunday" Jongo Kabange, a highly decorated volunteer based in Hong Kong. Sunday has dedicated over eight years to various causes, earning awards like the 2023 AmCham Aira Den Kay Community Award and representing Hong Kong at an upcoming World Volunteer Conference. His volunteering journey began in his native Zambia, focusing on youth drug prevention, before continuing at the University of Hong Kong by assisting at campus events and overnight museum programs. Sunday later engaged in corporate social responsibility programs at his workplace before pursuing independent volunteering, now supporting causes from homelessness to environmental cleanup. He frequently uses the platform HandsOn Hong Kong, which lists over 200 monthly opportunities, to find diverse roles with organizations like ImpactHK, WWF, and Feeding Hong Kong. A significant challenge he overcame was the language barrier when serving Cantonese-speaking elderly communities, leading him to develop a method he calls "silent communication." This technique relies on universal sign language, body language, and maintaining a warm, smiling presence to connect without shared verbal language. Sunday emphasizes that volunteering does not require a long-term commitment to a single organization, encouraging people to try different one-off opportunities to discover their passions. He advises new volunteers to start small, perhaps with just 30 minutes a week, and to manage expectations, as the primary reward is personal fulfillment rather than monetary gain. A memorable insight is that volunteering exposes you to hidden societal issues in your own city, like homeless camps or abandoned animals in familiar neighborhoods. The conversation is warm, inspirational, and highly conversational, reflecting the mutual admiration between host and guest. The tone is encouraging and educational, focusing on practical advice and personal anecdote. This episode is perfect for anyone in Hong Kong or elsewhere feeling intimidated about starting their volunteering journey, especially those worried about language barriers or commitment. Listeners seeking highly tactical or data-driven social impact strategies might find it less applicable.

As heard by us

A grounded look at how small acts of service can become a steady habit.

Volunteering here is treated less like a grand cause than a habit, which suits the material well. Regina Larko speaks with Sande Jongo Kabange, who has spent more than eight years volunteering in Hong Kong across environmental advocacy, support for the disabled, and help for the…

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Why you'd press play

A Hong Kong volunteering map with a very low-pressure first step.

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