Sino Group’s Joyful Reading Programme Inspires Hong Kong’s Reading Culture

13-year-old Jackson Kuang carefully turned the pages of his new detective novel, pausing to explain how Murphy’s Law applies to everyday life: if something can go wrong, it will - unless you plan thoroughly. Nearby, his 9-year-old sister Kelly giggled over a colourful manga-style book from the popular HuskyLang series, featuring an imaginative dog family complete with IQ puzzles and dinosaur facts. For these siblings from Community Living Room, Sino Group’s Joyful Reading Programme has turned an ordinary summer into a journey of discovery, focus, and family connection.

Community Living Room provides more supportive atmosphere for learning

The Kuang children, along with 12-year-old Owen Wong and his 8-year-old sister Elsa, are among hundreds benefiting from the initiative. They now have stronger reading habits and better concentration through visits to Community Living Rooms.

Elaine Huang began reading bedtime stories to her children Jackson and Kelly from young. “As they grew, comics became a gateway. Reading has helped them build vocabulary for school essays and even stabilised their emotions. Jackson rarely argues and shows remarkable composure.”

The dedicated reading corners provide a calmer and more supportive atmosphere than at home. “It’s quieter, and we can ask the staff or university student volunteers for homework help, piano practice, educational games, and other family activities,” Kelly added. Volunteers also offer patient guidance and small rewards like claw machine tokens, creating them a motivating environment, which Owen and Elsa shared similar stories too.

Their visit to the Hong Kong Book Fair, facilitated by the programme, was a highlight. Jackson and Kelly had spent hours exploring booths, selecting several titles each.

The initiative, rolled out by Sino Group this summer, aims to foster a reading culture through a series of initiatives, including reading activities, visits to the Hong Kong Book Fair, and a reading reward scheme. More than 500 Community Living Room members and underprivileged children and their families received complimentary access to the Hong Kong Book Fair, HK$100 book vouchers for students, and participation in a citywide lucky draw offering 70,000 prizes. Complementing this are reading reward schemes at Community Living Rooms, where participants can earn S+ REWARDS e-cash vouchers by hitting reading targets. The programme is expected to see nearly 2,000 books read collectively during the campaign.

Reading has been increasingly promoted across Chinese society as a way to support lifelong learning and build a more knowledgeable, innovative and culturally enriched community. In recent years, nationwide reading initiatives have gained momentum, with businesses, institutions and community organisations increasingly supporting reading promotion efforts.

Programme inspires families enjoy learning with books

Mr. Daryl Ng, Chairman of Sino Group, emphasised the deeper mission: “Reading broadens the mind, inspires thinking and supports personal growth. In recent years, different sectors of society have encouraged people to “love reading, have good books to read and know how to gain from reading,” inspiring people to make reading a part of their daily lives and to continue learning over time. Through the Hong Kong Book Fair, one of the city’s flagship cultural events, we hope to encourage more children and families to read books, discover new ideas and develop interest in lifelong learning.”

Alvin Chui, Project Development Manager of Project Development Department (Community Living Room), noted that Sino Group’s initiative directly responds to users’ needs: “Beyond meeting daily necessities, these spaces foster holistic growth and neighbourly exchange. We are seeing more children develop a genuine interest in reading, with parents actively engaging in co-reading.”

Elaine, a parent participating in the program, shared how these activities have enriched her family dynamics: “The Community Living Room is much more than just a study spot. Whether we’re making bean paste buns or building rocket models together, these shared experiences create rare and precious moments for parent-child bonding.”