Virginia YIM TSUI Yuk-shan
Mrs Virginia YIM TSUI Yuk-shan
Honorary University Fellow (2024)
As a passionate philanthropist, community advocate and supporter of education, Mrs Virginia Yim Tsui Yuk-shan believes that it is “more blessed to give than to receive”, and she has faithfully enacted this maxim through the years to bring positive changes for the betterment of society and for people in need.
Mrs Yim experienced first-hand the challenges of scarcity in her early years. This cultivated her deep sense of understanding and empathy towards the underprivileged. Recognising the importance of giving since an early age, she began making donations to a charitable foundation out of her limited resources since young. Later in life, she developed a successful career as an entrepreneur and co-founded the S.A.S. Electric Company Limited with her husband, Dr Stanley Yim Yuk-lun, in the 1980s. Driven by her gratitude for the opportunities and blessings she has received on her path to success, Mrs Yim continues to devote herself to service and philanthropy in even more profound and comprehensive ways, taking up a variety of roles to aid a broad range of beneficiaries from school students, patients, people with special needs, to underprivileged groups.
It is Mrs Yim’s principle to personally serve on the front line, therefore she actively invests her own time, energy and resources to make a difference. Since 2007, she has been an ardent supporter of Yan Chai Hospital, of which she was the Chairperson of its Board of Directors from 2017 to 2018 and is currently the Secretary of its Advisory Board. Not only did she raise a substantial amount of resources for the Hospital under her leadership, Mrs Yim launched the “Little Angel Volunteer Group” to nurture a caring heart in young children. She has also been a dedicated member of volunteer teams, including the district-level Care Team. In addition, she travelled to Guangxi province to visit orphans and abandoned children in person and has maintained a long-term connection with them since. Mrs Yim’s charity initiatives truly inspire people to join her endeavours, raising awareness and galvanising support from all around society for good and meaningful causes.
Mrs Yim also believes in creating opportunities and bright prospects for the younger generations and fulfilling their potentials through championing education on all levels. She holds a firm interest in empowering youths to pursue their dreams, and be better equipped to innovate. In her eyes, every person has his or her own calling and unique talents. Even though there may be obstacles on one’s life journey, success can be achieved through persistence and resilience.
Mrs Yim’s connection with Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has been particularly strong. She has always known HKBU students as well-mannered and loyal. The University’s robust sense of community and commitment to service echoes with her personal values. A long-time neighbour of HKBU herself, she also bears witness to the transformative progress that HKBU has achieved over time as the University evolves to become a hub for fostering innovation and knowledge advancement. Therefore, Mrs Yim and her husband remain staunch supporters of HKBU, contributing to various projects including the establishment of the Virginia and Stanley Yim Student Development Fund to finance students’ overseas academic exchange, internship and service-learning activities. They also donate towards the HKBU SEED Fund to extend emergency financial relief to students with urgent needs and to enhance students’ employability.
As a proponent of youth development, Mrs Yim highlights the importance of exploring and knowing the motherland. By learning more about China’s history, culture, and societal developments, youths can forge a higher sense of pride and belonging with their motherland. To this end, she made a further gift in 2023 towards the Extended Study Programme in the Greater Bay Area, which enables students to gain a richer understanding of the Mainland and broaden their horizons against the backdrop of rapid growth in the Nation.
Despite her remarkable success and impact, she humbly downplays the significance of her contributions. It is her aspiration to pass on the spirit of charity and ensure that the legacy continues for generations to come. Through involving her own family members in charity work, she has instilled in them the value of compassion and social responsibility. Each of her three children oversaw fundraising events for Yan Chai Emergency Assistance Relief Fund, which not only helps the needy, but also ensures the sustainable development of the Fund. Her daughter has also joined her in sending support to children in Guangxi, further extending the love and care for the needy.
Mrs Yim has uplifted communities and addressed society’s pressing needs, benefitting the community at large. This Honorary University Fellowship is awarded to recognise her extraordinary and relentless commitment to philanthropy, education and social betterment. Undoubtedly, she will be an exemplary role model for HKBU, igniting a passion for charity and inspiring action among the next generations.