PENAMPANG: The Society of Hope Kota Kinabalu Founder Datuk Seri Christina Liew has expressed her hope for the organisation to endure beyond her, her successor Josephine Hadikusumo or any individual.
Speaking as guest of honour at the Society of Hope Sabah Charity Dinner at ITCC Penampang on Saturday, Liew said she aspired for the movement to become a lasting force of compassion, carried forward by new generations.
“My dream is that this Society continues long after us. If we can lift even one child, we can change the story of a family, a village, and eventually all of Sabah,” she said.
She reminded guests that hope is what they give, nurture, and must keep alive together, while inviting them to invest in the future of children through acts of service and generosity.
Liew recalled that the Society was born in 2007 following devastating floods in Sabah. “Families lost homes, children lost their school supplies, and many were left with almost nothing. Out of hardship came a chance for us to respond with compassion,” she said.
The early efforts involved collecting food, clothing, blankets and uniforms for affected families.
“Those moments convinced me this was not just an idea, but a calling,” she said.
Over the years, the Society expanded its work to support orphanages, girls’ hostels, children’s homes, and disaster victims.
“While supplies matter, what truly matters is the human spirit and the willingness to stand beside those in need,” said Liew.
In 2019, her daughter Hadikusumo took over as Chairperson, transforming the Society into a full-fledged NGO officially renamed the Society of Hope Sabah. Its mission became sharper: to help underprivileged children thrive through education and outreach.
The Society has since launched initiatives such as the Back to School programme, scholarships, and community outreach, giving children confidence and dignity.
Liew said a milestone was reached when the Society was recognised as a registered charity under the Inland Revenue Board, making all contributions tax-exempt.
Hadikusumo, paying tribute to her mother, said the founder’s vision laid the foundation for what the Society is today.
“The work we do would not have been possible without her leadership for the last 18 years,” she noted.
She emphasised that education is the most powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty. “When a child receives school supplies and encouragement, we are supporting a future full of potential and possibilities.”
Among the Society’s highlights were the Project Hope Milk Fund during the pandemic, which distributed more than 7,400 units of milk powder to children, and the Jom Balik Sekolah campaign, which supplied over 10,000 sets of stationery to students across Sabah.
That campaign earned recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records for the largest stationery distribution to underprivileged children.
The charity dinner, attended by some 700 supporters, also saw Hadikusumo calling on citizens to adopt the Society of Hope Sabah as their charity of choice to ensure its mission continues to grow stronger in the years ahead.
