Charles Mok 可圈可點

Hong Kong IT Industry Responded Immediately to the "IT Cares for Tsunami Relief Campaign"

For Immediate Release

Industry Responded Immediately to the “IT Cares for Tsunami Relief Campaign”

[Hong Kong, 7 January, 2005] –“IT Cares for Tsunami Relief Campaign” organized by the initiating organizations of “IT Matters for Hong Kong” gained immediate response from the IT industry. An appeal letter was sent to the IT sector on 31 December, 2004, urging them to provide monetary and technical assistance to their preferred charitable organizations that are helping the Tsunami victims, and within a few hours, we received considerable number of emails and phone calls from the IT sector, volunteering to offer their helping hands. We are happy to announce that 6 laptop computers were raised in the initial stage and sent to Indonesia to assist the emergency medical work of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

We received an urgent request from MSF on 4 January, 2005, as they require 6 laptop computers for their emergency mission in Indonesia. HP Hong Kong reacted immediately and agreed to sponsor 6 laptop computers to the organization while Microsoft Hong Kong Limited sponsored 6 copies of Microsoft Office 2003 Professional Edition. The computers were set up in the evening of 5 January, 2005, by volunteers from HP Hong Kong, and picked up by representatives from MSF late that evening, then brought to Indonesia by their field volunteers early in the morning on 6 January, 2005.

“MSF is very thankful to the quick response from the IT industry in Hong Kong on their joint effort to facilitate our emergency relief work in Indonesia. This certainly helps our teams deliver assistance to the most needy in a more efficient manner,” said Mr Dick van der Tak, Executive Director of MSF Hong Kong.

MSF has started medical intervention in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India for the earthquake and tsunami victims. In Indonesia, MSF teams are working in the worst hit Aceh. The donated computers will be used by our teams in Indonesia to coordinate the relief work and facilitate the internal as well as the external communication.

“We would like to thank HP and Microsoft for their generosity and quick response to this urgent request. We would also like to thank everyone in the IT sector who contributed ideas as to how we can help in terms of IT assistance, and those who provided monetary donations. We are glad to have the IT sector join hands to help in this tragic event,” says Mr. Charles Mok, spokesperson of “IT Matters for Hong Kong”

Mr. Mok continues, “As IT professionals or companies, if you or your organization can offer IT capabilities to assist in the search of missing persons, to help friends and relatives of victims or missing persons to find their loved ones, or any other technical support you can offer to parties involved in the aid effort, please let us know and we would do our best make arrangements so that your help can benefit the people in need.”

About Médecins Sans Frontières
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger. MSF currently works in more than 70 countries for victims of armed conflicts, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters.

About “IT Matters for Hong Kong”
In August 2004, four representative organizations in the IT sector, including the Hong Kong Computer Society (HKCS), Hong Kong Information Technology Federation (HKITF), Information and Software Industry Association (ISIA) and Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA), have come together to launch the “IT Matters for Hong Kong” campaign with a clear action plan to revitalize the image and perception of the Information Technology industry in our community. This campaign has received the endorsement and support from six universities and more than twenty trade and professional organizations. Through our concerted effort, we aim to generate community-wide awareness of the important role of IT in the economic transformation of Hong Kong.

Media Contacts:

Vivien Chan
Membership Services Manager
Hong Kong Computer Society
Email: vivien@hkcs.org.hk
Tel: (852) 2834 2228

Vivian Lee
Press and Public Affairs Officer
Médecins Sans Frontières Hong Kong
Email: vivian_lee@msf.org.hk
Tel: (852) 2959 4259

posted by Charles Mok @ 5:52 PM