3D (15-16) Tsoi Ho Wan
Hong Kong Secondary School English Writing Competition 2015-2016
F.1-F.3 Junior Division (400 words)
Theme: Do Good For Me
Background: An old uncle has passed away and left you $1,000,000. In his will he stated that you cannot spend the money on yourself or your family—you must use it to benefit others. Which group or cause would you help with the money?
Rubric: You must write a letter to your aunt, telling her what you want to spend the money on and why. Common causes could be: wildlife protection, build a school in a poor country, help an orphanage (where children with no parents live), a home for lost dogs, or your own idea.
Dear Aunt,
How are you these days? I haven’t seen you for a long time. Thanks Uncle Willy for his generous donation. I’ve got a plan about how the money should be spent to help others. I’m not sure if my plan is good or not, so I want to ask for your advice.
Last month, I returned from Zimbabwe, a country in southern Africa with the workers of my church. I felt grateful as it was the first time I had been on a mission trip. I got a chance to understand the local situation and customs which were totally different from what I’d expected.
The capital city of Zimbabwe is Hrare, which is a prosperous city. Apparently Zimbabwe was a well-developed country to me in the first few days. Occasionally I got a chance to visit the rural community of Zimbabwe. Because of this opportunity, I eventually realized that Zimbabwe wasn’t as good as it seemed. In fact, the place was extremely chaotic. There are dilapidated houses, skinny children and adults in shabby clothes. These scenes were the same as those images about poverty-stricken places shown on TV. After I did research on the internet, I began to realize the poverty problem that plagued this place. My curiosity drove me to read more news about the plight of the people there after I came back to Hong Kong. I really wanted to help them, but I couldn’t think of a way. While I was feeling perplexed, Uncle Willy left me the legacy.
I’ve pledged to Uncle willy that I would make good use of his money. And now, I’m planning to set up a foundation that is used to help the poor in the name of Uncle Willy. I believe that Uncle Willy didn’t want to see the people live a hard life. He always hoped that the problems of poverty and malnutrition in poor regions like Zimbabwe could be eradicated someday. He must be very happy to see the change in people’s lives through his donation if he were still alive.
Thank you for reading my letter patiently, Auntie Lily. I know my plan may not be perfect, but I know this action can change some people’s destiny. With Uncle Willy’s generous donation, a small potato like me can now do greater things. I can give a helping hand to the needy. “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change!” The lyrics have inspired me a lot: If we want to solve the problem, we have to be proactive but not just sit still. Please tell me how my plan can be improved.
Kind regards
Helen