On October 19–20, 2024, Purpose in Motion (PIM) partnered with SEO China to host the SEO Public Leadership Camp, bringing together 19 university students from six provinces across China for an inspiring weekend of learning and growth.
The sessions were led by Jane Li and Kenny Leung, two seasoned experts in social impact, who shared their wealth of experience through interactive workshops, personal stories, and group discussions. The camp also featured guest facilitators Gustavo Cadiz from Bolivia and Dang-Dao Nguyen from Vietnam. Their passion for social innovation and their unique global perspectives inspired the students to embrace their potential as changemakers.
As the camp concluded, we caught up with the program leads and facilitators to reflect on the key insights from the event. Here’s what they shared:
Key Takeaways from SEO Leadership Camp 2024
1. Everyone Can Be a Changemaker
At the beginning of the camp, many students viewed philanthropy as an overwhelming or unattainable goal. However, as they engaged with the workshops and heard personal stories from the facilitators, their perceptions shifted.
One standout moment came when facilitator Gustavo Cadiz shared his journey of observing international students in China struggling with career development. This insight motivated him to establish Venture Builder Unity in Beijing, an initiative supporting students’ growth. Stories like Gustavo’s showed participants that philanthropy begins with simple observations and the willingness to take action.
2. From Passive to Active Learning
The camp featured a mix of lectures, group discussions, and hands-on workshops, with students particularly enjoying the practical, interactive sessions.
For instance, during a workshop on measuring social impact led by Jane Li, participants used established frameworks to analyze real-life case studies. This approach underscored the value of experiential learning—showing students that understanding concepts is just the beginning; applying them is what drives real change.
3. Empowering Youth for Leadership
Throughout the weekend, the students demonstrated a remarkable curiosity, sharing ideas, questions, and perspectives. Their enthusiasm highlighted the growing interest among young people in philanthropic leadership, but also revealed the need for stronger support systems to empower them.
Empowerment can take many forms: providing access to resources, creating networks, and fostering intergenerational connections. By bridging the gap between current and future philanthropic leaders, we can inspire youth with stories of resilience and guide them on their journey toward impactful leadership.
We hope the SEO Leadership Camp 2024 has planted seeds of philanthropy within these students—seeds that will grow and flourish as they embark on their own journeys to create meaningful change.
Thoughts from SEO Camp Participants
(Translated from Chinese)
“Two words that summarize what I learned are ‘passion’ and ‘compassion.’ Passion—reflected in the mentors’ and classmates’ enthusiasm for public welfare. Compassion—because public welfare is rooted in understanding and care for others.”
“During the two days of discussions, I realized that every industry has its limitations, and understanding ourselves is key to exploring new possibilities for the future. When asked whether I could become a philanthropist, I initially felt there were too many obstacles. But after gaining insights into public welfare, I now believe those obstacles are not excuses. I will dedicate more effort to public welfare and philanthropy in the future.”
By fostering learning, collaboration, and inspiration, the SEO Public Leadership Camp demonstrated the power of education to unlock potential. With initiatives like these, we move closer to a future where every individual recognizes their ability to lead and make a difference.
Meet the Team
Kenny Leung, Programme Lead
Kenny LEUNG is a seasoned executive and board member in the NGO field with nearly 20 years of experience on organizational and people development. In 2006, Kenny joined a global program in Kenya for community development and social impact project. Since then, Kenny has spent full time in the NGO field, participating in development programs in North Korea, Inner Mongolia, Hebei province and lastly stationed in Beijing for about 7 years. In the past few years, Kenny was an Operation Director and Chief Executive in Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation and Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation respectively to drive sustainable development and youth empowerment projects in Mainland China.
Jane Li, Programme Lead
LI Jie (Jane Li) is the founder of GlobalMoms Initiative and GMI Design Innovation Center, which aims to close the gender gap for moms and everyone, stands to invest women and empower mothers. Jane holds her master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from The University of Hong Kong (passed with Distinction), and bachelor’s degree in laws from Fudan University (awarded the Excellent Graduate of the Year 2007). She is a PFP Fellow of the National Committee on US-China Relations. Before launching the GlobalMoms Initiative to empower women with children at different life stages, her past 15 years of work experience have spanned the private sector, public sector, and nonprofit sector.
For more about GMI and Jane, kindly visit www.globalmomsinitiative.com.
Gustavo Cadiz, Facilitators
Gustavo Cadiz is an entrepreneur and advocate for Machine Learning Operations with a Mechatronic Engineering degree from Beijing Institute of Technology. He has built entrepreneurial communities in Beijing and Latin America and interned at MiraclePlus (formerly YC China), where he recognized the need for foreign entrepreneurs in China.
Dang-Dao Nguyen, Facilitator
Dang-Dao Nguyen co-founded a non-profit incubator in Beijing, helping international and Chinese students launch startups, with one team securing pre-seed funding. His wildfire detection project, addressing the Amazon crisis, was selected as a finalist in the Innovation Challenge by YABT and the Organization of American States. Dang-Dao Nguyen is an urbanist and a scholar at Tsinghua University, taking the lead in creating sustainable futures for Asian cities. Dao graduated with an award for academic excellence from Yenching Academy, Peking University. He currently works as a consultant for the United Nations with a focus on urban development and has worked for 5 different UN agencies across 3 countries. After serving as the head of the ASEAN Delegation to the G20 Youth Summit and co-lead of the UNESCO Action Plan for Meaningful Youth Engagement, he founded the Young Urbanists of Southeast Asia to foster a better future for ASEAN cities.”
Blog Contributor
Ting Ting Liew, Interviewer/Writer
Ting Ting is passionate about social impact, innovation, business development, and the nexus among these three areas. She was previously a Business Partner in Enterprise Singapore, a government agency that champions enterprise growth. Ting Ting graduated from the National University of Singapore with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Social Work. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at Yenching Academy, Peking University. She is currently working on her thesis regarding the development of social entrepreneurship in China. During her free time, you can catch Ting Ting running, doing aerial yoga, or finding the best dessert in town!
