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It’s only a two-minute walk from the back door of Tuen Mun Hospital to the white house sitting on a lake inside the Chinese garden-inspired landscape, but for Wu Tak-ming it’s an expedition.

Children with speech problems can struggle to talk to or interact with others. They have great difficulty expressing themselves. If they come from working-class families, they are unlikely to afford speech therapy in the private sector, which typically costs HK$1,000 per session.

Having placed fifth at the Rio Paralympics, Ho Yuen-kei, the city’s top boccia player, believes her best days are still ahead of her.

An underwater robot assembled and piloted by visually impaired students left spectators in awe as it slithered through obstacles in a pool as agile as a water snake at the Underwater Robot Challenge.

Taking a breath, instructor Felice Liu Hoi-ting laughs, the “Ha! Ha! Ha!” sound echoed by three other patients with rheumatic disease during a typical session of laughter yoga.

Eleven-year-old Tsui Hiu-fung gently pats the head of Oscar, a golden retriever, and reminds him to listen to the storyteller.

Filipino domestic helpers Joffz Jevier, Mariviec Castillo and Luisa Galleto do not want to work in Hong Kong forever.

Children from rural villages in mainland China were thrilled to have Hong Kong college graduate Pang Ming-lun around as both a teacher and a playmate when schools were closed.

When Kay Lai-kwan, 70, picked up some dolls and started telling a story, her audience quickly grew from a few children to more than a dozen.

When Kay Lai-kwan, 70, picked up some dolls and started telling a story, her audience quickly grew from a few children to more than a dozen.

Like every parent, Mrs Cheung wants her son to “live a happy life”. But for nine-year-old James, the learning curve is steeper than most. He was diagnosed with medium-functioning autism with a particular weakness in speech when he was four.

Ethnic minorities in Hong Kong are increasingly developing preventable chronic health problems but face significant barriers to accessing health care, a charity has warned.

Being hearing-impaired is not an obstacle for college student Meng Wen, who aspires to become a legislator.

Being environmentally friendly is now part of the daily lives of two Sha Tin students who spent months as green activists.

Even when fed the most watered-down porridge, Ng Wing-zheung, 84, would still choke.

Carlo Lai Kwok-seung wants to make English lessons fun again.

Domestic helper Annalyn Dionio is in limbo.

An outdoor adventure company is offering young disabled Hongkongers the opportunity to enjoy a life-changing sea kayaking expedition.

Spending just 15 minutes in Aids Concern’s seven-seater van could change one’s life forever as that is how long it takes to obtain the results of an HIV screening test. And for one HIV-positive patient, the knowledge of his diagnosis has convinced him that his life will get better.

“One child came to us and was very quiet, but then she created a collage with lots of positive words, and said she wanted to revive her childhood.”

“Walk on” may be words of encouragement spoken to her horse by Hong Kong’s Paralympic equestrian athlete Natasha Tse Pui-ting, but they are also words she has been living by for the last 15 years of her horse riding journey.

“It’s everywhere. It’s on the bus, in the market, on the streets ...”

Charity workers, corporate representatives and media professionals on Tuesday gathered for the closing ceremony of Operation Santa Claus 2016, which raised more than HK$16 million for local charities.

Staff and supporters of a major hotel chain have come together to celebrate the end of a festive charity competition in Hong Kong, which saw more than 2,000 participants submit unique teddy bear outfit designs.

Staff from Alibaba were among those who took part in this year’s Operation Santa Claus (OSC) sleigh ride at the Happy Valley Stadium.

The government should work more closely with NGOs, charities and companies to bridge the city’s growing wealth gap, a senior official at a leading insurance company said.

Hundreds of underprivileged children in Hong Kong were treated to festive parties in the run-up to Christmas by a major hotel chain, as part of a charity campaign.

Staff from the Bank of East Asia swapped their suits and ties for more colourful garments to kick off a variety of charity fundraising activities over the festive period.

Unaware of their maternity rights and fearing deportation, many migrant domestic workers are forced to hide their pregnancies from employers and secretly gave birth in their apartments.

While cooking may be routine for many, some doctors at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital find it more difficult than treating ­patients and conducting surgery.

An imaginary hot air balloon was rapidly sinking, and personalities including Malala Yousafzai, Harry Potter and Donald Trump were on board. Someone had to be thrown out to prevent the demise of all the contestants, and only the best debater could survive.

Dozens of children who seldom leave their neighbourhoods enjoyed a rare hotel visit to celebrate Christmas, courtesy of the Sino Hotels Group.

The eighth Bank of America Merrill Lynch Charity Golf Day was held in the lush surroundings of Clear Water Bay for Operation Santa Claus (OSC).

Children with special speech needs learned the word “turkey” over Christmas by seeing the festive dish for the first time when restaurant chain Maxim’s hosted a party for them.

Scores of revellers joined a festive charity pub crawl through Lan Kwai Fong for Operation Santa Claus earlier this month.

Six auditors clad in gingerbread costumes paid local non-governmental organisation Enrich a surprise visit earlier this month to learn about the needs of local migrant workers.

At Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre, patients can eventually take on the role of a carer.

More than two dozen children were given a chance to experience being on board a ‘boat’ for the first time in their lives, as part of a Christmas party last week to cap off an annual charity campaign.

The adrenaline ran high as two basketball teams from Dah Sing Bank faced off in a charity match to net the highest score for this year’s Operation Santa Claus.

Carols filled the air at the International Commerce Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui on Thursday as more than 100 bankers displayed their musical talents in a Christmas sing-off to raise funds for charity.

More than 100 runners from a life insurance company have worked up a sweat to raise money for local charitable causes.

Tech giant Facebook has chipped in for the Operation Santa Claus cause by providing the charity campaign’s marketing team with advertising credits to boost its visibility on the social networking website.

A group of energetic children ­immediately went quiet as a Hang Seng Bank employee in a green jacket walked up to the stage holding his arms above his head to form a triangle.

Masters champion Danny Willett was among those who showed up on Friday to support a golf-themed Christmas charity challenge in the city organised by UBS.

Laughter filled the primary school in Tsz Wan Shan as its students enjoyed a Christmas play day with the city’s elite lawyers.

The peaceful atmosphere of a remote forest, the spectacular view from a plateau and a sense of charity-induced purpose – these were the elements that convinced 20 employees from Haitong International to go on a 10km hike earlier this month.

Sino Group put together a circus playground in Olympian City mall to bring joy to underprivileged children in Tai Kok Tsui as Christmas draws near.

Snowball fights may be a classic activity during winter, but in downtown Hong Kong, they are a rare sight.

Hong Kong’s Christmas shoppers are increasingly choosing traditional board games over electronic gadgets as families seek more “quality time” together, a major toy retailer has said.

Christmas came early this year for the needy children of some of the city’s migrant mothers.

Operation Santa Claus will benefit from an exhibition chronicling the artwork of US filmmaker Tim Burton.

Christmas is about more than receiving presents, but in an ideal world no child would wake up on December 25 without at least one gift-wrapped toy waiting under the tree.

Broker Andrew Sullivan swapped his usual suit and tie combination for an orc costume to play squash against surgeons, ballerinas and even Super Mario to raise money for a worthy cause.

Green-fingered youngsters have been teaching elderly residents about planting flowers at a care home in Sha Tin, as part of a project involved in this year’s Operation Santa Claus.

The streets were decked with festive lights, shoppers milled around with Santa hats perched on their heads and Christmas carols were sung on every corner last weekend, at the first of two charity Christmas fairs organised by major Hong Kong property developer Swire.

Hong Kong-based food export company Etak International has a charitable streak – but they don’t like to shout about it.

Lovers of teddy bears are being ­invited to design bear-sized ­ensembles for a hotel’s charity fundraising drive.

Operation Santa Claus 2016 (OSC), an annual charity campaign co-organised by the South China Morning Post and Radio Television Hong Kong, was generously supported by various schools. The campaign has raised a total of HK$16 million, and of that total, schools contributed HK$450,000.

About 180 runners from 14 athletic groups donned their brightest Santa outfits for the annual Santa Hash race.

Children from a Discovery Bay kindergarten led a 4km charity trek to raise money for those less fortunate than themselves.

Each team competing in this year’s MBA Challenge for Operation Santa Claus (OSC) has one overriding goal. That is to raise as much as possible for the annual charity campaign before the end of December, using whatever combination of special events, donor appeals and online initiatives best helps them achieve that target.    

Q1. Can you tell me more about your team?

Q1. Can you tell me more about your team?

Q1. Can you tell me more about your team?

Q1. Can you tell me more about your team?

Q1. Can you tell me more about your team?

At the Police Tactical Unit headquarters, four teams of 10 burly officers compete to pull a 10-tonne armoured vehicle with a policeman on the roof for about 90 metres across the drill square.

For the 12th year in a row, Jim ­Burkett donned a fake white beard and a Santa hat to entertain both children and adults, rounding off a day of fun and charity on Lamma Island.

Operation Santa Claus, hosted by SCMP, gives MBA students the chance to prove their mettle while raising funds for the needy, reports John Cremer

Hong Kong’s future business leaders have gathered to showcase their fundraising skills for local causes.

Reading into the head­lines, you would be forgiven for thinking Operation Santa Claus, Hong Kong’s favourite Christmas charitable drive, began its good works in 1988. In fact, its roots lie much further back.

The Operation Santa Claus (OSC) 2016 MBA Charity Challenge encourages Hong Kong's future business leaders to utilise their skills and give back to society through creative fund-raising activities.

Overwhelmed by a series of political shock waves in Hong Kong and overseas over the past weeks, the public mood in Hong Kong is understandably downbeat. As we ponder what lies ahead, it is important that we not give up hope in the future and be ready to play a part to make the world a better place for all. Helping others in need is a start. It is with that spirit that Operation Santa Claus is launched every year. Co-organised by the South China Morning Post and the public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong since 1988, the charity drive has gone from strength to strength. It ties with the festive season characterised by love, joy and, above all, the spirit of giving that we too often take for granted nowadays. Thanks to the efforts of those involved, a record-breaking HK$21.3 million was raised last year for a variety of meaningful programmes.

The South China Morning Post’s annual charity campaign Operation Santa Claus was launched Wednesday night with the theme ‘small change, big change’, and calling for donations, regardless of size, for 23 of the city’s local charity projects.

Twenty-six charity leaders of the future gathered at the opening ceremony of a programme geared towards bringing together experts in finance and social work to bolster the city’s charity sector.