Seven social enterprise founders and others who found ways to help their fellow Hongkongers in 2020

Zimbabwe-born Innocent Mutanga, a former refugee who works as a banker for Goldman Sachs, co-founded the Africa Centre, a hub for people from the continent

David Nesbitt set up a social enterprise bakery and coffee shops to employ special needs adults; Harrison Li’s diet change eased his eczema so he wrote about it

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Harmony “Anne-Marie” Ilunga set up Harmony HK representing women models of colour, when existing modelling agencies said they preferred white models.

Published: 6:30pm, 27 Dec 2020Updated: 1:55pm, 30 Dec 2020

Hong Kong has had a tough 2020 as it grappled with the coronavirus and anti-government protests. But there have been many women and men from all walks of life who have made a positive impact.

These are some of the ones we wrote about through the year.

African banker invites Asians to change their views of black people

Innocent Mutanga fled Zimbabwe’s secret police for Hong Kong, lived on the streets, won the right as a refugee to study – and now works at global investment bank Goldman Sachs. He co-founded the Africa Centre, a creative hub that regularly hosts cooking classes, art jams, film and book clubs, and workshops covering everything from belly dancing to drumming.

Tong Man-hak taught himself to make erhus -a Chinese musical instrument – after his was stolen on a trip to China. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Inside the workshop of one of Hong Kong’s last erhu makers

Tong Man-hak, 76, taught himself to make erhus after his was stolen on a trip to China. His instruments can sell for almost US$3,000 and one was used by star musician Hsin Hsiao-ling, but Tong worries about the future of the craft in Hong Kong.

David Nesbitt’s daughter sparked his quest to secure gainful employment for the city’s special needs young adults. Photo: Jonathan Wong